Silver Eyed Warlock
by Kraven Ergeist
Summary: There is a reason you don't see male Claymores anymore. Clare x Raki, slight Raki Harem. CH 12 IS UP!
1. Chapter 1

**Claymore Fan Fiction **

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

Pained. That's the first impression she got when she saw the Awakened Being. He didn't look angry, bloodthirsty, or even all that scary. He just looked pained. He looked at her with eyes that spoke of torment and hardships, his whole malformed body shaking, trembling.

Clare held her ground, not sure what to do. This was clearly an Awakened Being, and a male at that. He must have been ancient – older than the earliest days of the organization. Yet he wasn't ranked among the Abyssal Ones – how could that be? An Awakened Being, having lived for so long, the only way to have survived without being hunted and killed, if not by Claymores than by fellow Yoma…was to go into hiding.

Her sword felt heavy. Should she attack? It could be a trick. Perhaps that mask of grief and pain was just a shroud to lure in the unresolved. Such as herself, it seemed. Clare stood her ground, poised to strike, but still refrained from approaching, whether out of fear, uncertainty, or pity, she was unsure.

She wished Miria were here. She wished Helen and Deneve and the others hadn't been out, settling old scores, taking care of unfinished business. As she herself was doing. Clare cursed. There was a reason Claymore's stuck together. In situations like these, anything could happen, and Clare just didn't know what to do.

She took a step back as the Awakened Being let out a primal roar, a roar that shook the surrounding trees, its mouth agape. It wasn't all that large, but it was loud. And its voice carried more of that pained feeling. It collapsed onto its knees (or what accounted for knees), closed fists pounding the earthen road beneath it.

Clare frowned. What was it doing? Could it even see her? Why was it acting so…so…

Human?

Then she saw, strapped to the Awakened Being's back, a sword. Not a claymore, like the one's she and her fellow warriors carried. It was smaller, lighter, easier for scrawny human to carry with relative ease.

Clare felt her blood run cold.

"You…"

Her eyes went gold without thinking, her sword in hand coming to the beast's neck in a blink as she lunged the creature, throwing it onto its back, her sword pinning its neck to the ground.

"What have you done with him!?" Clare demanded. "Tell me what you did to the owner of that sword!"

If the Awakened Being hadn't seen her before, it saw her now. And to her surprise, it didn't thrash or try to bat her away. In fact, its muscles were slack and unmoving, eyes fixated on her with something akin to shock.

Clare closed her eyes. She didn't want to see the proof of the reality that was before her. She couldn't. Not after seven years of searching, could she possibly live with herself, knowing this was the result.

"Raki…"

Taking her hand off her sword, she touched the side of the Awakened Being's face. There, just above its left eyes, was a diagonal scar that marred his suddenly familiar face.

"Raki…"

The Awakened Being seem to tremble, before his face began to take a more natural color, slowly regaining the appearance of the human he had once been.

"C…Clare…"

Whether the truth had truly sunk in, or she assumed it was all a dream, Clare wasn't ready to dwell on just yet. What she did next, whether logic or reason entered the equation, she did out of sheer panic.

Their lips touched and parted, and Raki felt her tongue slide into his mouth. It was such a jolt, such a shock to the part of him that had nearly forgotten, that he barely felt the Yoki suppressant pill that she forced down his throat.

Then consciousness slipped away as Raki's body erupted into shockwaves as power released from his body. Clare was thrown back, gasping in horror, as she realize what she might have just done. The chemicals within the Yoki suppressant pills had never been tested on an actual Yoma, and in all likelihood, weren't meant to be used on one. Whether or not there existed any remaining scrap of humanity within Raki, she had probably just killed him.

"Raki!"

The scream of torment echoed across the horizon as the aura around the Awakened Being blazed red and then blue, and then finally began to wither and die down. As the blinding light subsided, Clare gasped in surprise.

It couldn't have actually worked…could it?

But dressed in rags, sword clinging pathetically to his back, Raki fell to his knees, before tumbling forward onto the dirt road.

"Raki!"

Clare got to her feet and rushed over to the fallen form, checking for signs of life. Satisfied that the human boy had somehow survived, she slung him over her shoulder, made her way down the pathway, and began to think.

How? How had Raki become an Awakened Being? The answer, of course, was glaringly obvious. His hair was ghost white, just like hers. And his eyes, while lidded, she was sure were silver. He had somehow become half Yoma. The first male half Yoma in years.

But how? The organization would never allow that. Never mind how he had found the organization to begin with, they would never make a male Claymore.

Unless…had they decided to try again? Perhaps they thought they could suppress the drive that arose within males to awaken – which, if that were the case, they were obviously wrong, as Raki had clearly awakened…

Which gave Clare a startling realization. Yoki suppressant pills had the power to make Awakened Beings regress. The organization must have known about this. Why hadn't they capitalized on it? Made it into a weapon, either an aerosol, or a liquid to coat their swords? Why?

So many questions flooded Clare's mind. And none of them would be answered by asking herself. She had to get back to the others. But first, she had to find shelter. Raki may have survived the transformation, but out here, he could very easily die of exposure.

Raki…

She looked back at his unconscious face. He had changed over the years – grown, matured. And his hair now shone a silvery blond, much like her own. She fought down the bile rising in her gut. Why had he done something so foolish? No, maybe it hadn't even been his choice. But no matter whose fault it was, the fact of the matter was, she now had a male half human, half Yoma on her hands, who could very well awaken at any given moment in time. She would have to be careful. She only had so many pills left, with no immediate means of obtaining more…

Clare let out a sigh. Nothing could be decided until Raki woke up.

xxxxx

Clare found a suitable cave just as it began to rain. Unable to make a fire, she held the unconscious boy in her arms to keep him warm, her cape draped over his shoulders. Holding him like this, she could almost forget what was happening, how she had found him, how he had changed. She could remember the times they'd shared, the way he'd stood up for her, the devotion he'd showed her, the smile he always gave her…

Then she saw the changes, and she suddenly felt bitter cold. Holding onto him tighter, she tried to forget, tried to go back to those simpler times, when she hadn't been on the run, and Raki had been at her side…

"Clare…"

The boy trembled in her arms, and Clare remained still, watching his eyes flicker open.

Her heart sank – but really, she shouldn't have been surprised – when she saw the silver of his eyes. Had the pill she had given him not been enough to suppress his powers beyond that of a Claymore? Perhaps a second was in order. But first, answers.

"Are you awake?"

Raki blinked, looking around, before his eyes finally came to Clare's.

"Clare…" his voice was a whisper, his mouth curving into a trembling smile. "I…finally…found you…"

"Raki…" Clare stroked his hair out of his eyes, before her smile slowly subsided. "What happened to you?"

Raki's expression fell as he slowly guessed what she meant.

"I'm sorry…" Raki closed his eyes. "It was the only way."

"What was?" Clare asked fiercely. "What's happened to you?"

Raki breathing hitched, his voice still a whisper. "You were right, Clare…you were right all along… No human would ever be able to protect you. No human could help you or keep you safe. But a Claymore…"

"Idiot!" Clare seized his shoulders, slamming him violently against the ground, causing him to wince in pain. "How could you do something like this!? You _idiot_!"

Raki looked up at her in shock. "Clare…"

"Don't you realize what you've done?" Clare sobbed, shaking her head, eyes clenched. "Don't you realize what you're risking? Don't you realize that at this very moment, you run the risk of awakening!? If that happens, I'm going to have to _kill_ you! Do you think I'd _want_ that!?"

Raki couldn't say anything. He couldn't move. He could barely breath.

"This isn't what I wanted…" Clare felt tears build around her eyes. "Not this…"

Raki was crying now too. "I'm…I'm sorry Clare…but I just didn't see any other way…"

Clare wiped her eyes. "Who did this to you? Was it the organization?"

Raki shook his head. "No…it was Isley."

Clare felt her heart stop. "Isley?"

Of course! It made perfect sense now. Who else would want a male half Yoma who would almost certainly awaken? But if this were true…it also meant that the Abyssal Ones had the power to create Claymores too, a power though only to belong to the organization. Did the organization know about this?

"You…you kept your promise…" Raki said, breaking her concentration. "You stayed alive."

Clare stared at him, scowling. He had technically kept his too, but not under the conditions she was expecting.

"You idiot…" she shuddered, looking away. "You stupid idiot…"

She felt Raki's arms wrap around her, and as angry as she was, she couldn't push him away, nor deny the feeling the arose deep within her abdomen.

"I missed you so much…" Raki sobbed, embracing her tightly.

Clare's eyes closed. "Damn you…" she shuddered again, holding onto his arms. "Why'd you have to do this? This isn't what I wanted…"

"I'm sorry…" Raki breathed. "But I promised you…one day…that I'd be strong enough to protect you…"

Clare felt her tears flow freely now. "Damn you… God damn you…"

"Please…don't cry, Clare…" Raki embraced her, pulling her close to him, and Clare had to fight to keep her sanity.

"Raki…" she gasped as her body suddenly felt warm. "Damn it…why?"

"Because…" the boy trembled in her arms, staring into her eyes, too many emotions to keep track of. "I…you…Clare…"

He didn't get a chance to finish the thought as Clare brought her lips to his. He didn't need to finish it. She knew. She knew, since the moment of their first kiss, and she knew at the same instant, that she would never forgive him for making her feel this way about him.

"Damn you, Raki…" she sobbed once again, tears in her eyes and a smile on her face. "What took you so long?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

After the rain had stopped, the two of them got moving. Clare kept her pace slow to go easy on Raki. It would be another two days before she was supposed to rendezvous with Miria and the others, so she was in no hurry.

Well…she _was_ kind of in a hurry. She had decided to keep Raki under a steady dose of Yoki suppressant pills. He had regressed back to this stage, but without its effects, there was no telling what might happen to him. He could very well awaken should he be left on his own. The fact that the pills didn't take away the silver in his eyes disturbed her. She didn't want to overdose him on the pills, more than one might kill him. But Raki's situation was just too abnormal. As far as Clare knew, there was no documented evidence of Yoki suppressant pills being used on Awakened Beings. For all she knew, it was only a temporary reprieve – he very well might need Yoki suppressant pills for the rest of his life. She wasn't sure about his power, or how the pills ultimately affected it. She didn't want to test him, not in this state. A male half Yoma, even under the affects of the pills still might awaken if he was made to fight. She just didn't know enough. Miria might be able to help her, but for now…

"Raki," Clare said as they walked, her tone suggesting making conversation. "Do you know why there aren't any male half Yoma?"

Raki, his hair still silvery blond, just shook his head.

"At first, the organization used both genders to create half blooded warriors. But very quickly, they noticed that all the male warriors almost immediately became Awakened Beings."

Clare turned her head to look at Raki's face as he walked.

"I'm told that male half Yoma felt an almost sexual pleasure in their awakening, and were unable to resist it."

Raki felt his ears get hot.

"Do you remember anything like that when you…" Clare's voice fell. "When you initially awoke?"

Raki lowered his eyes. "I don't remember much after the initial…procedure…" He shivered. "Just nightmarish images. Feeling half asleep. Seeing the world around me pass like fever dreams, not really there, but impossible to turn away from. I definitely don't remember anything _pleasurable_ from the experience, though…it was only until I found you that I could even begin thinking straight…"

Clare nodded, releasing a sigh of relief. "I see…and right now? I know you're under a Yoki suppressant pill, but do you feel any sort of urge to awaken? Any sort of…overpowering sexual drives?"

Raki tried not to look at Clare's body as he spoke. "No. Well, nothing out of the ordinary at least…"

Clare frowned. "Out of the ordinary?"

Raki gulped, focusing his attention on his feet, his face beet red. "I mean, uh…nothing I haven't felt before this happened…nothing that has to do with awakening…"

Clare looked troubled. "What do you feel?"

Raki swallowed the lump that had been amassing in his throat. "That's…kind of private…"

Clare stopped walking. "Raki, I'm not going to let you awaken again. It's important that you maintain control over yourself. I don't have enough pills to last more than a few more days, and if we run out, you could very well go back to being that _thing_ you were before. It's important that I know what's going on in your head so I can recognize the signs before they occur. Now tell me what you feel."

Raki winced under her words and bit his lip. "Well…it's just that…" he looked away, ears burning. "…I think you're…really pretty, Clare…"

This took Clare by surprise. Her eyes widened, unsure of how to respond. Suddenly, a _whole_ new set of concerns flooded her mind. She really should have noticed it, she realized. He was a young man after all, and she _had_ kissed him. Twice. The connection between kissing, love, sex and awakening had surprisingly managed to slip her mind. She had never had to consider it before - it was an oddity, considering most humans recoiled from her kind in fright, that he should be drawn to her appearance as he was.

A wave of dismay hit Clare as she contemplated the possibility that Raki's physical attraction to her had been his only reasoning for following her. But she quickly dismissed the thought – he had stuck with her long enough to see that she had an ugly side of her that was as real as any aspect of herself could be. He had stayed with her, despite it all – even seemed more compelled to stay by her side when confronted by her more ghastly guises.

No, Raki was not so shallow as that. But still…

"Th-thank you…I suppose…" she turned around to face the direction she had been going. "And…this feeling hasn't…fluctuated at all since you became this way…?"

Raki gulped again. It was a difficult question to answer. How do you deny any sort of fluctuation in a feeling like that when every moment standing in her presence, every moment they both spoke on the subject, he felt himself growing more attracted to her? After seven years of never having seen her, his motivation for finding her had hardly been one of sexual attraction – has that been his primary motivator, he would have given up and eventually settled on someone else. No, his was a dedication of promises, of kindred spirits, of companionship…of love.

But now that she was here with him again, close enough to touch…

"No…" Raki shook his head, glad that she wasn't facing him at that moment. "Not really, anyway. I mean…I couldn't really feel anything when I had awakened…but right now, I feel pretty much the same as I felt when you…" Raki gulped again. "When you…kissed me for the first time…"

Clare felt her cheeks getting warm and she cleared her throat. "We should get moving. We need to reach the meeting point by tomorrow night."

Raki caught himself lagging behind, burdened with their supplies, as he tried to catch up with her.

Had Clare been blushing just then?

Raki decided not to dwell on it.

xxxxx

The skies were clear, so they set up camp under the stars, framed by coniferous trees as a fire crackled and burned, sun baked wood sizzling and smoking in a mound framed by stones, the two travelers sitting side by side, holding their knees together, mirroring each other as they sat, staring at the fire, Raki still going on about how things had progressed since they had last seen each other.

Clare listened intently without interrupting, though she did bristle at the mention of Priscilla.

After he was done, Clare filled him on how she had fared against Ophelia, being rescued by Irene, her adoption of her Flash Sword arm, her encounter with Riful of the West, her struggle in Pieta, and the seven years she spent in seclusion with Miria, and the others.

Raki was a little upset, first to hear that she lost her arm, and then to hear about near awakening, cursing his weakness that he hadn't been there to help. Clare merely chided him.

"You're here now, and that's all that matters," she said with a smile. "I survived, you survived…though I'm disappointed at the means by which you did…"

Raki shrugged helplessly, like it was no big deal.

Clare had the urge to roll her eyes. "But if you're so dedicated to helping me, well, we're together now. And if things go your way, you'll be plenty able to fight by my side whenever trouble arises. Though I'd prefer you didn't, I doubt anything I say is going to deter you."

Raki smiled again.

Neither of them ate much that night, seeing that they were both half Yoma. A single apple shared between them was food enough to make a meal.

"Looks like my work just got a lot easier," Raki said, mostly jokingly. Clare was a little off put by his good humor, and found it difficult to comprehend his positive outlook on the situation given the circumstances.

From Raki's point of view, however, things couldn't be better. Not only was he now in a position to help Clare, but he was now much less of a drag. He ate as little as she did, ran as fast as she did, and though he was still sure she could beat him in a fair fight, he could at least fight better than he had before.

She had outright refused to draw steel to test him, citing risks of awakening. That risk kept coming up in Clare's reasoning, though in Raki's mind, even that threat seemed minimal at best. She had brought him back from his awakened status once before, he was sure she could do it again. Besides, even though it was most likely because of the pills, he didn't feel anything at all similar to his time as an Awakened Being, and was sure he wasn't at risk of awakening, at least, for the time being. And though his memories of that time were sketchy, he was fairly sure he hadn't killed anyone.

His hunger had been oddly…diluted, another fact that Clare found disquieting. It lead her to suspect that Raki may not have fully awakened. Though even partially Awakened Ones still hungered for flesh, and had a natural bloodlust, even Ophelia, in her awakened state, managed to retain some aspects of her humanity. She had even been able to isolate it, and stave off the beast inside her to give Clare her challenge. True, Ophelia had been psychotic, but she was still capable of dominating her Yoma half, twisted though her mind may have been.

Another thing that struck Clare as odd was Raki's description of how he ascended – it hadn't taken any time at all; it had happened immediately. An injection and then awakening. Nothing in between. There were many theories behind this, most of which pointed to the likelihood that an Abyssal One's method of creating half Yoma differed from that of the Organization, though whether it was an improvement or not, it was hard to say. Though the idea of an Abyssal One creating something that, thus far, seemed to be far more tame, even in his awakened state, than what the Organization had done so far seemed far fetched. Perhaps Raki's gentle nature had more influence than Isley may have suspected – Raki was not by nature a violent person, and was quite clearly a defensive type half Yoma. It was either that, or he simply hadn't had enough time between half Yoma and awakening to even feel the feelings that usually arose in between. Whatever happened, Raki had been a rather gentle Awakened Being. Depressed, angry and scared, but not violent.

Clare felt exhausted just pondering the possibilities. The thought of storming into the Organization and demanding answer was getting tempting, though Miria should still be the first person she spoke to. She had enough Yoki suppressant pills to last until the day of their rendezvous, though there was no guarantee that they would ever be able to obtain any more beyond leeching off the other warriors' supply. In all likelihood, they have to run their own crash course to see just how Raki behaved once the Yoma pills wore off.

Clare shuddered. There was also the risk of being found out by the Organization. If Raki was truly made into a half Yoma by Abyssal hands, once the Organization got word of it, they'd double their search efforts, if they hadn't already. As it was, she ran the risk of being discovered herself, suppressing her own Yoki by sheer force of will, devoting all her drug supply to keeping the inexperienced Raki off their radar screen. But once she ran out…well, she'd have to teach Raki how to control his Yoki but quick.

She turned her head to the side and saw Raki's head resting on her shoulder, the sound of his light dozing the only sound save for the crackling of the fire. Clare absently brought her arm around the boy, and pulled him closer.

What was she complaining about? She had found Raki. She had fulfilled her promise, and had found her companion. They were together now – that was all that mattered. So there were difficulties she now faced, but she had faced far worse in the past. It was a small price to pay to have someone close to you.

The fire began to die down, and Clare found herself holding on tightly to Raki's now solid frame. It didn't matter that a half Yoma could calibrate their body temperature, sometimes one just needed to feel the heat from the person next to them.

A smile crossed her lips as she remembered Raki's revelation earlier that day, and leaned her head over to his and kissed him on the cheek.

She doubted he would mind.

xxxxx

To be continued…


	3. Chapter 3

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

There were numerous secluded caves throughout the continent, the majority of them in the mountains to the north. Clare and Raki weren't so far north that it was snowing, but it still got chilly at night. That made staying in caves a welcome reprieve from the night air. Although half Yoma could regulate their temperature, it was still arguably nicer in Raki's opinion to be around the heat of a fire, albeit unnecessary. Of course, Raki had no complaints in keeping close to Clare for warmth.

None whatsoever.

Of course, caves also served another, vital purpose.

"Hey, I remember you!" an energetic sounding voice came from inside as Raki and Clare ventured into the cave where the party had agreed to meet up the week before.

Helen, the first to greet the wayward companions, was completely shameless in her acknowledgement of the boy.

"Didn't you used to be a scrawny little thing?" she thought pensively, sizing him up with an appreciative eye. "You've been taking care of yourself."

Raki flinched under the scrutiny. "Uhh…I wouldn't say that…"

Miria, Deneve, and the other survivors of the north – Cynthia, Tabitha, and Uma – had all seemed to have arrived prior to Clare, seeing as how Clare was one of the few with actual business to attend over the week (With the exception of Miria and Deneve, the others had simply bided their time). As far as Clare knew, Miria's task consisted of a thorough investigation of the organization, which was best done alone, by the highest ranked member of their little group, and Deneve had refused to provide any details on what her unfinished business had been, just that she needed a week to pull it off. A week had seemed too much time to waste in a cave for Clare, so she had gone off in search of her long lost companion, which, at first glance, had yielded positive results.

Cynthia and Tabitha welcomed Clare with smiles, though they were suspicious of the stranger. Uma, as well as Miria and Deneve remained silent as Clare went over her week.

"As you all can see…the situation has become much more complicated."

Everyone was focused on Raki, though some for different reasons.

"What?" Helen asked, oblivious. "Just because we're in exile doesn't mean we can't keep one kid safe, Clare."

Miria practically rolled her eyes. "Helen…don't you feel it? Stretch out with your Yoki sense."

Helen blinked, staring at Raki, before recoiling sharply. "What the…he's a Yoma!"

Clare was about to stop Helen from drawing her sword, but Miria was faster.

"He's not a Yoma in disguise, Helen…that's still the same boy you remember. He's been made into a half Yoma like us…" Miria locked eyes with Clare. "Which I'm still wondering why you've allowed, Clare. You know the fate that's to become of all male half Yoma. I know he's important to you, but shouldn't that mean you would want to give him the dignity of a human death all the more?"

Clare shook her head. "I…probably would have…" she didn't know if she was lying or not. "But something's strange about the way Raki was made into a half Yoma. He awakened almost immediately, but didn't display nearly the level of violent behavior one would except in an Awakened Being. I gave him a Yoki suppressant pill, which seems to actually be keeping him stable – though his eyes are still silver. I didn't want to give him a double dose for fear of killing him. And he claims to have awakened almost immediately."

Miria frowned. All others were silent.

"This doesn't make any sense…if Yoki suppressant pills could truly bring someone back from an awakened state, we would be using them for that very purpose! The organization would have surely seen the advantage in this!"

"There's more," Clare said. "This wasn't a transfusion performed by the organization. It was performed by Isley."

Everyone almost instinctively took a step back from the boy.

"You let an Abyssal One turn into a half Yoma!?" Helen blurted, glaring at Raki. "What in the world were you thinking!?!"

Raki flinched. "I…I didn't…"

"Helen…" Miria chided. "Calm yourself, your Yoki is radiating off of you like mad."

"Listen…" Clare interrupted. "I know this brings a heap of troubles on the rest of you, and if you wish me to take him and leave, I'll understand. But if you're willing to help me, there's something I need from all of you. So I need an answer."

Tabitha and Cynthia both quietly nodded, Uma following behind them with another nod. Deneve shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure, I'll help if I can," Helen looked away.

Miria smiled. "Tell us what you need, Clare."

Clare breathed a deep sigh. That had been the first big hurdle. The second one was a might harder to leap.

"Right now, I haven't dared allow Raki a waking moment outside the affects of the pills. But I'm running out. I need to come up with a plan as to how to deal with this. If we combine our stock, we might last a little longer, but that would simply be postponing the inevitable, since we can't get any more. And I haven't ascertained what exactly will happen should the affects wear off. Will he awaken, or will he be able to contain it? I didn't want to risk it on my own – it would be best if we were all there to contain him should he awaken." Clare took a great sigh. "I know asking you to risk fighting an Awakened Being is asking a lot, but this is important to me."

Miria nodded, understandingly. "I see…you did the right thing under the circumstances. Given the situation, I think it best that we verify what will happen as soon as possible to save as many rations as we can. When was the last time you administered the pill?"

"Dawn this morning."

"Then we'll all be at the ready at dawn tomorrow to see what happens," Miria looked at Raki. "If you can contain the demon within you, boy, then you may find a place here. Eight capable fighters are better than seven when we've got an entire world after us. But if not…then we can't have an Awakened One on our hands who will only be a strain on resources to remain stable."

Raki nodded, unhesitatingly. "I understand."

Clare flinched. "Raki!"

"It's okay, Clare," he said, looking sternly at her. "This was a risk I knew I'd be taking."

Helen groaned. "You still haven't explained _why_ you went and did this, you crazy kid!"

Raki looked down. "It was…well…I made a promise to Clare that I'd stay alive until we met up again…and I didn't want to continue to be a nuisance. So I decided that I'd be more helpful to Clare as Claymore."

Miria actually laughed at that. "A noble notion, child – but that kind of thinking will only get you killed." Her voice fell. "First of all, you should stop using the word 'Claymore' – it's not what we call ourselves. Second…I need you to describe what happened before you awakened, very carefully to me. Tell me every detail you can about Isley, everyone you met in his presence, and how he administered this transfusion."

Raki looked around nervously. "Um…I already told Clare…"

"I'm not asking Clare," Miria said coldly. "I'm asking you."

Raki blushed. "Um…well…"

"Let's step outside for a minute then," Miria said, glancing at all the faces staring his way. "Maybe some fresh air will make things clearer for you."

Clare watched as Raki left the cave for their leader to interrogate. She wasn't sure how she felt about leaving them alone – whether either one was safe from the other – but she didn't get a chance to dwell on the matter, before Helen wrapped her arm around her.

"Damn, Clare! Your boy toy has turned into something else!"

Clare gave her friend an odd stare. "I'm well aware of what he's become."

Helen smirked. "Not that! I mean, damn, I made fun of you for shacking up with him before, but now? I think _I_ might have to have a go at him!"

Tabitha, Cynthia and Uma started blushing, while Deneve rolled her eyes. "Cool it, Helen. I don't want to even begin to speculate what the offspring of two half Yoma could produce."

Helen giggled. "Oh, come on, Deneve, you know we're all sterile. I mean I haven't bled since I first became a half Yoma. We're like ligers, you know? Once we become what we are, that's pretty much it. Dead end. I mean, nature wasn't meant to reproduce that way."

Clare shrugged out of Helen's embrace and began unloading her travel gear, leaving the two to debate the subject. She had gotten used to Helen's odd quirks and barbs, though the idea of Helen and Raki together fired up too many emotions to keep track of.

Tabitha, Cynthia and Uma stood near Clare, as though waiting to be chastised, but Clare hardly even acknowledged them. In truth, they were curious about Raki, and how Clare had come to know him, but with Miria interrogating said subject, and Clare's cold shoulder, they didn't know what to do.

"Umm…welcome back, Clare…" Cynthia ventured, running her hands through her pigtails.

Clare tried her best to smile at the girl. "Thanks. I'm sorry to have been gone so long. I hope nothing happened while I was away."

Tabitha and Uma remained silent while Cynthia spoke. "No, nothing particularly interesting. Just spent time training, eating, sleeping…it was basically just like up in the mountains, only no snow." Cynthia let out a laugh that sounded very fake. "Which just made things more boring – no more snowball fights with Helen."

The attempt at humor fell on deaf ears.

"Sorry Cynthia, I've just a lot on my mind right now," Clare said, apologetically. "Could we catch up after Miria and Raki get back?"

Cynthia smiled. "Sure. Whatever you want."

xxxxx

Clare had warned Raki before they entered the cave: "Now listen up – you're going to be the focus of discussion. If you're uncomfortable with that, you're welcome to wait outside until one of us comes out to get you, but if you want to come inside with me, you're going to be talked about like you're a pet or something."

He hadn't minded _that_ idea so much. But having to report on the situation in front of an audience was a different story altogether.

Thankfully, Miria had seen that, and taken him out of an uncomfortable situation. Raki could tell right away that she had a good sense for these things, and was very keen on the moods and opinions of others. She made a good leader, and he was thankful for it. It was already embarrassing enough to have to repeat the story to Clare (especially the parts with Priscilla), but having to explain it all in front of all the others, particularly Helen and that devilish smile of hers…

Raki shook his head and continued with his explanation.

"He didn't want anything in return. He just offered to make me into a Claymore."

Miria frowned. "And you believed him?"

Raki winced. "It wasn't like that…I mean, he helped me before. He trained me…his sister liked me…he treated me like family. I felt at home with them. I felt like I could trust him."

Miria took a great sigh. Clearly, this was a boy ruled by his emotions, and the cold hard logic and reason that most half Yoma possessed would only fall on deaf ears with him. Which, of course, explained why he wanted this procedure in the first place. Just like Clare and her (in Miria's opinion) foolish desire to become half Yoma for Theresa's sake, Raki had become half Yoma for Clare's sake.

Some things didn't seem to fit however. Isley's "sister" had to be Priscilla, the one Clare was after. She was surprised at how well Clare had handled the news that Raki had been in such..._intimate_ proximity to her sworn enemy, though perhaps it hadn't been such a surprise - they had all known that Isley and Priscilla were together, though Raki's idea that she was his _sister _was clearly a lie they told him. Maybe he simply thought of her as one…

As for Isley not wanting anything in return however, that should have made perfect sense to Miria – Surely, since all male half Yoma almost instantly turned, doing this would only give him one more Awakened Being under his thrall. Or at least, that's what she would have thought, if she hadn't learned scant weeks ago that Isley had purposefully staged the battle at Pieta as a means of culling his ranks. What was he after, specifically? Did he see Raki as a more promising follower? If so, was he still keeping tabs on him? Miria suddenly felt exposed out here with the boy. She thought briefly about running to warn Tabitha to keep a close watch, but it seemed moot since such precaution should have been obvious.

She shrugged it off. "What happened then?"

"He didn't take me anywhere special. Just a shack out in the middle of nowhere, like all the other's he'd brought me too. But it was just him, Priscilla wasn't with us. I…I don't think he wanted to risk her in case something went wrong…" Raki trailed off, before clearing his throat. "Anyway, he showed me, what I thought at first were scraps of meat from something he had caught in the woods. But then he said that they were…" Raki gulped. "…Pieces of a fallen Yoma."

Miria bristled. "Did he mention the Yoma's name, by any chance?"

Raki shook his head. "No, but…the pieces looked like they belonged to a lion…"

Miria breathed in deeply. "Rigardo…"

Raki blinked. "You…you knew him?"

Miria didn't answer. Unbelievable! Isley actually spliced the body of an Awakened Being into this human child!? This made him something completely different! Like Clare – he was only one quarter Yoma. But that he was only one quarter Yoma, who was also one half Awakened Being…

Was that why Clare was so strong? Did being one quarter Yoma not actually hinder her strength…but increase it? Because the potential to awaken was already latent in the flesh one had molded into them? Or did the increase of human flesh make controlling the Yoma that much easier? Was that why Clare always showed the most prowess when it came to controlling her half awakened state? Was that why Raki was able to regain controll of his body after awakening?

It frightened Miria to think of Raki in action. If this was true, he should be as strong as the lot of them. Having already awakened, he was stronger than any other numbered half Yoma. He was a half awakened half Yoma. He was truly one of them now.

Miria inhaled sharply as another realization took hold of her.

If what she had deduced was true…then Raki could potentially be more powerful than any of them.

xxxxx

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

Clare let out a sigh of relief to see both Raki and Miria making their way back into the cave in one piece. True, if there had been any fighting, chances are Clare would have felt the rise in Yoki from either of them, but still, seeing it made it a reality that Raki was still with them.

For now.

The look in Miria's eyes was impossible to determine. Clare had known the woman for more than seven years, and still found it difficult to read her expressions.

"Everyone…" Miria said, calling everyone to attention. While Clare needed no beckoning, she still made a point of locking eyes with Raki long enough to offer him a warm deliberate smile, which seemed to lift his spirits some. Of course, while the feelings behind the smile were genuine, Clare couldn't help but feel that it had relied too heavily on her expression training, which made her feel manipulative. But really, if it was for the purpose of keeping Raki's spirits up, it wasn't a bad thing, right?

"We've all stuck together up until now," Miria began, interrupting Clare's thoughts, "Because it was safer to keep strength in numbers. I was quick in my promise of our assistance, but in light of the current situation, I'm going to need you each to make a choice. We have a male half Yoma on our hands that may or may not awaken at around dawn tomorrow. Just because it didn't attack Clare does not mean it will do the same thing for any of us. Do not make this choice lightly, because in the worst-case scenario, each and every one of us will be dead or worse. Now I'm asking each of you if this is a risk you're willing to take. Everyone who doesn't has from now until dawn tomorrow to get as far from this cave as possible. If you don't want to stick around for this…I suggest you leave now."

There was silence throughout the other seven members of the team. Raki didn't like being addressed as an "it" but he knew that in a way, it made sense. It made it easier for each of them to kill him should they come down to it.

Clare didn't speak. Everyone knew her answer, so she knew she might as well not even voice her opinion. It made her nervous, how in the exchange of glances between the warriors in the cave, none of them, not even Miria, made eye contact with her. She didn't blame them of course – who would want the accusing stare of Raki's strongest advocate weighing on their conscience as they made up their minds about whether or not to trust their lives to this boy?

Helen wasn't sure why Miria was making such a big deal out of this. Even if the kid did awaken, it was seven half awakened half Yoma, including Phantom Miria herself against one Awakened Being who couldn't be older than seven at the most. They could have taken him easily. Did Miria honestly think he could be powerful enough to kill_ all_ of them?

Deneve too was suspicious of Miria's caution, though she didn't in any way mistrust it. Obviously she wasn't telling them the whole story. Before her talk with the kid, she had been all for testing him to see if he could retain his human form, and now she was talking about worst-case scenarios. Something the kid had revealed in their talk had Miria spooked. And if Deneve knew anything, it was that if Miria believed something was dangerous, it almost certainly was.

Cynthia had already made up her mind. The chance of adding another member to their party (and a boy at that – a cute one!) seemed too good to pass up. It could only improve their odds should they run into trouble, it would certainly make things more interesting when there was nothing to do, and besides, with Phantom Miria at their side, they were perfectly safe should he ever awaken.

Tabitha felt uneasy. The Yoki she felt from Raki had made her feel queasy since he first showed up, and since he'd been here, it hadn't gone away. He felt so much different from all of them. Maybe it was because he was a male, but she couldn't shake the feeling that keeping the kid around wasn't a good idea. Of course, neither was running around by herself. And Miria seemed set on helping Clare with this, and if the rest of the group signed on as well…Tabitha had her doubts, but it was probably better to take her chances with the kid. At least they outnumbered the kid should he awaken.

Uma honestly didn't know what to think. Clare had told them all about Raki, about how she had inadvertently rescued him, how he had followed her around after being exiled from his town, about how she had taken him on as her traveling companion/cook (she honestly thought Helen's theory about him being her sex slave was a load of hock), about how he had stuck with her to the point of being able to bring her back from nearly awakening, and making a promise with her to keep on living until they could see each other, sealing the promise with a kiss. Now, seven years later, Raki had sacrificed his humanity for her sake. For this kid…Raki…to show that kind of devotion to one of their kind made Uma feel a kind of warmth in her chest that she hadn't felt since her human years. That kind of devotion shouldn't have to end because of their insecurities, least of all hers.

Miria glanced back and forth as her companions for the last seven years remained where they were. She could see doubt. She could see insecurity. That was to be expected. But when it came down to brass tax, they had stuck with her. It made her a little proud inside.

"Alright then…" Miria turned to Raki. "Raki, if you'd like to speak on your own behalf, feel free. I know this must bother you to be spoken of as though you weren't here."

Raki shook his head. "It's alright, Miria…you seem to have a much greater understanding of the situation than I possibly could, so you should be the one to explain."

Helen and Deneve exchanged glances.

"What?" Helen asked. "Explain what?"

Miria drew in her breath. "The Yoma that donated its flesh to Raki's transfusion was the Silver Eyed Lion King, Rigardo."

Everyone bristled at that, not the least of whom Clare.

"An Awakened Being?" Deneve was the first to speak. "Has that ever been done?"

"Not in the organization's history," Miria shook her head.

"But Rigardo was dead and gone!" Helen protested. "Clare chopped him up into little pieces! How could anyone have salvaged enough of him to use as a donator?"

"Isley found a way," Miria said gravely. "It's possible that mixed in with Rigardo's flesh were bits and pieces of other Awakened Beings, but the end result is the same."

"Doesn't that make Raki one quarter Yoma?" Tabitha inquired. The abnormal Yoki radiating off the boy was suddenly starting to make sense. "Like Clare?"

Clare's eyes flashed.

"Yes…" Miria nodded.

"Then what were we worried about?" Helen crowed in an attempt to lift everyone's spirits. "If he's only a quarter Yoma, he's got to be weaker than any of us, including number 47 here!"

Helen diluted the barb with a companionable slap to Clare's back. Raki, for his part, didn't seem the least bit insulted by the remark.

Miria smiled wisely. "But not if he were to awaken. And you forget, he's already awakened at least once before. He's like us – half awakened."

Cynthia drew in her breath at that comment. "Like us…?"

Miria nodded. "Notice how much more control Clare has over herself when she awakens? How much more powerful she becomes? How much easier it is for her to come back? I believe that Raki will be the same. I believe that this is why he was even able to stabilize with just a single Yoki suppressant pill."

Deneve frowned. "If the organization ever found out about this…"

Miria shook her head. "There's no way they haven't tried this before. They must have. Which is what worries me so much. If they have, and successfully managed to revert male quarter Yoma, then why haven't they? Why haven't they tried to turn every Awakened Being into a quarter Yoma? There must be a reason why they felt that it shouldn't be done. I don't know what will happen tomorrow at dawn, but I am not optimistic."

Clare finally spoke. "What if the differences weren't just a cause of being made from an Awakened Being? Have you forgotten that this was performed by Isley of the North? How do we even know if he uses the same methods as the organization?"

"Needles being driven into your flesh at six inch intervals everywhere, pumping fluid into your body…strapped to a table as the vision in your eyes becomes blurry and then dark…your ears begin to ring…your sense of smell disappears, and then your sense of taste…and all that your left with is the feeling of your body slowly changing, bone, flesh and sinew twisting inside out…"

All eyes turned to Raki.

"You want to scream, but you have no tongue…no throat…no lungs…your body's not there, because it's in hell, burning and steaming…you want to scratch an itch that's everywhere, but you can't move…your stomach collapses in on itself, because you're starving and you've thrown up everything you've ever eaten…you feel unclean…putrid…because the thought of carnage and blood makes you giddy…"

By this point, even Miria was looking a little ill.

"You feel your skin crawling, only it's already completely melted off your flesh…your bones begin to crack and reform into something else, something that cuts into your own body…and then you feel things begin to grow inside you, tendrils of something rotten and evil…something that makes you hunger for the smell of blood…and then…then you once again begin to regain your senses…first the burning, putrid scent in your nose…then the horrid, vile taste in your mouth…the wretched vile howls of pain in your ears…and finally, you are confronted with the site of the most horrible demon you've ever laid your eyes on…its skin is sick yellow and its eyes glare back at you with an unholy orange…"

Clare was seething. Raki was rambling on like a madman now!

"And then you are hit with the realization that the demon you're looking at is yourself…that this is what you've become…and you are never going back to the way you used to be…"

Raki's eyes were deadpan as he finally looked up.

"If this is what it was like for you…then I've truly misunderstood the Claymores…"

"Raki…"

Clare was holding him by the shoulders before he could even finish, and at her touch, he flinched, his eyes refocusing as tears began to pour from his eyes. He collapsed against Clare's body, completely drained as he began sobbing horrifically, clutching her like a lot child.

"What have I done to myself!?" he wailed through sobs of realization and remorse, face buried in Clare's robes. "What have I become!?"

Pained. That's the impression everyone got when they saw Raki standing their, wrapped in the arms of the only family he had left. No matter what any of the others felt for him before, none of them, despite their uneasiness, could deny the sympathy they felt for this pained creature. He was one of them, no matter the age or gender, and they felt kinship for him. His cries of pain and sadness reflected their own, and for that, they cast their eyes to the floor, ashamed to have ever thought of leaving the boy behind.

"Get some rest," Miria was the first to interrupt the ordeal, walking faster than necessary out of the cave. "Dawn will be coming soon."

The others – save for Clare – watched their commander leave, and wondered for a moment why she had wanted to be alone so abruptly. Surely not so that she could shed a tear. True, a commander showing weakness in front of her subordinates was bad for morale, and their morale had already suffered enough. Still…this was Phantom Miria - a half Yoma who killed without remorse! Surely she, the strongest of them all, was leaving them all to catch a moment of silence to clear her head and plan the next day, and not something so disgraceful as to weep?

It would seem they'd never know, as she disappeared from even Tabitha's range, all the while the boy – sniveling brat or valiant martyr, none were sure – cried in Clare's arms, the weight of his decision finally coming down on his head as his memories of his transformation had finally cleared. And Clare, all too familiar with the pain and frustration he felt, all too saddened by the reality of his decision, and all too overcome by the realization that now he was truly like them – and even more like her – felt tears of her own follow suit.

"Raki…"

There would be no sleep for either of them that night, as brutal night terrors tore Raki from slumber, which Clare – sleeping right next to him ever so devoted as she was – would always rouse to calm him, just as Elena had done for her once upon a time. The day would not find them bright eyed or bushy tailed, but at the same time, it would not find them tired or lethargic. It would simply find them as they were, clutching each other, not for warmth, but for the feeling of comfort in knowing that despite all the things that had happened to them, they still had each other. And that would have to be enough.

xxxxx

To be continued…


	5. Chapter 5

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

Dawn came and went. Raki remained as he was. It was a high-strung moment that might have left everyone disappointed if there hadn't been so much riding on nothing happening. Everyone had assumed that once Raki proved that he could remain stable without the use of the pills, they could all ease off their guard, but Miria didn't look in any way relieved. Dawn had simply been one of many possible bumps in the road, any of which could send Raki over the edge. She would, ultimately, need to test the limit of his endurance. The only problem was, how to bring him back should he get too close to the edge.

The answer was obvious: Clare.

Miria smiled. She was almost jealous. Those two had managed to forge something special together despite all that both had gone through. And the addition of another member to the party had certainly stirred things up a bit, particularly since he was a male.

Particularly since he could cook, too. Raki had decided to show his appreciation to the group for taking him in by throwing them all a feast: an entire human sized meal.

"Man, I'm liking you more and more, kid!" Helen smiled, wrapping her arm around his shoulder, a half eaten wild turkey leg in her off hand. "Clare's really got you tamed!"

Raki could only blush at the contact. "Well…I used to cook for my family back home, so it's not like there was much to learn. It's an interesting challenge to find the ingredients we need out here sometimes though…"

Cynthia looked up from her food. "So you offered Clare to cook for her and be her traveling companion? You didn't want anything in return?"

Raki smiled. "She had already saved my life – I had to show my appreciation somehow!"

Clare just ruffled his hair. "As I remember it, you were begging to come with me until I made the suggestion."

Raki blushed. "Well…what was I supposed to do? My hometown kicked me out, and I wanted to repay you."

Helen smirked. "I bet that's not the only reason you wanted to tag along."

Raki blinked. "What do you mean?"

Helen guffawed. "What, you're a guy! What do you think I mean?"

Raki blushed profusely. "Um…well…"

"Helen…" Uma spoke before Clare could rise to the bait. "Leave Raki alone. He made you this nice meal, there's no reason for you to tease him."

Helen smirked. "What, I'm just saying. After seven years holding out for her, the kid's got be feeling mighty itchy."

Cynthia blushed. "Helen!"

Clare let out a sigh. Raki refused to make eye contact with her, but Clare had already long since known of Raki's attraction to her. Nothing Helen said could bother her.

Now Raki…

"Am I wrong?" Helen smiled at Raki, who just stared at the ground, blushing furiously. "You don't swing the other way do ya? Cause there's a cave full of warrior women here, and I'm sure that at least _one_ them-"

"Helen!" this time, the voice was Miria's. "I'd lay off the kid if I were you."

Helen, being one of the few of them who would stand up to Miria, just wrinkled her nose. "Why? I'm doing him a favor! Besides, he seems to be enjoying it!"

Miria frowned. "That's precisely the problem. Remember that male half Yoma feel an intense sexual desire to awaken. If you provoke him like that, or worse, actually do it with him…"

Raki's whole face was red. "M-Miria!"

Helen sat back, shrugging. "Hey, it's not like I meant it…it's just fun to tease him!"

"Are you sure, Helen?" Tabitha spoke, smiling. "You're the one who hasn't been able to take their eyes off the kid since he got here."

It was Helen's turn to blush. "W-Wait a minute! What are you implying!?"

Deneve joined in. "Something tells me the boy's not the one with the 'mighty itch.'"

Clare grinned. Cynthia stifled a giggle. Helen just pouted.

"Leave me alone! We've all spent seven years with nothing to sink our teeth into! I doubt I'm the only one who's looking at him!"

Now Raki couldn't make eye contact with _any_ of the Claymores, he was so embarrassed! There was an uncomfortable silence in which no one said anything, and Raki felt compelled to make some kind of amendment.

"Ummm…I didn't mean to complicate things this way…and…if you… have other uses for me, then…I mean…if it'll pay you back for taking me in…"

All the Claymores looked at Raki with looks of stupor. Had he just offered to pay them back for their kindness with favors? Miria decided it was time for someone to be the adult before one of them took him up on his offer. "Ok, ok, that's enough out of all of you. Helen, quit teasing Raki – Raki, the dinner was more than enough to earn your keep. You shouldn't feel obligated to us anyway. You're one of us, and we're all equals here. We're all equally on the run, and we all depend on each other equally as much as the other."

Raki bit his lip. "But I feel I should at least do something!"

Miria smiled. "If you really want to earn your keep, then why don't we try something else? Come with me."

Raki deftly got up and followed Miria out of the cave.

"Hey!" Helen yelped. "And after she lectured us all about it too!"

"Relax, Helen," Deneve chided. "She's not taking him out to bang him. Get your mind out of the gutter."

"Was he being serious?" Cynthia wondered aloud, still blushing. "Would he really go that far just for us to take him in?"

"Getting ideas now?" Tabitha smiled.

Cynthia blushed even harder. "No! I'm just shocked…"

"Considering what he sacrificed to help the one he cares for…" Uma said, looking at Clare. "I wouldn't doubt it."

Clare was silent. She wasn't embarrassed per se, but Raki's offer, regardless of its validity, had certainly opened up a can of worms. Despite herself, what Helen said was true – the seven of them had been by themselves for as many years, and as cold and controlled as most of them were, she doubted even the most stouthearted half Yoma could live with that kind of loneliness and be happy. Helen may have been open and shameless, but at least she was honest. Clare doubted any one of them would have said no should the offer have been genuine, and she had been debating with herself all through those seven years what she would do if she and Raki could see each other again. And now that he was finally back…

She had seen the looks in her companions' eyes, and some of them – like Helen and Cynthia – had been more overt in their opinion of a male companion who would perform such a simple act as sitting down and having a conversation with them, something no human male would have gladly done. If that small boundary could be crossed, it was only a matter of time before the others started flirting with Raki for real. And as much as Clare trusted Raki, and was sure of his feelings for her, she doubted his transformation, odd though it may be, stopped him from feeling his hormonal desires any more than it did their own. It was a general trait in all males regardless of breed, and Clare didn't know how she felt about it.

It wasn't set in stone, but half Yoma didn't usually fall in love. They were taught to school their emotions so that they didn't interfere with their jobs. But these seven half Yoma have been living seven years in isolation, and while they had trained their minds and bodies, there hadn't been a reason for them to train their emotions. And Raki, a quarter Yoma who hardly even knew the organization, well…his emotions were probably running rampant!

Not to say half Yoma didn't indulge on occasion – there were certainly plenty who did. No doubt Helen could name a few, and probably indulged herself. Quite a few even took to other female half Yoma (she had her suspicions about Deneve), but there were no written rules. Some traits of your previous life carried over, and some did not. Maybe Helen had simply had a voracious appetite for men as a human, who knew? But even that was never about love. Love was a useless emotion that tied you to someone for no good reason, that made you risk your life to help them…

But then, Clare had already done those things, hadn't she? She was attached to Raki, the same way she had been attached to Theresa. That was the trait that she carried over. But what Clare didn't comprehend was how that feeling was supposed to be so intrinsic to pleasures of the flesh. With all the temptation around, how was emotional attachment supposed to survive if the idea of the person you cared for taking to another damaged that feeling so easily?

It annoyed her that the idea of Raki spending the night with one of her traveling companions bothered her so much. He should be allowed his right to choose, and her friends needed the companionship. Raki was a young man with all the strength of a half Yoma who had his own needs to contend with, and the girls hadn't had that kind of company in years. It would only improve the morale of the group. Logically, it made sense to share. But the fluttering she felt in her gut made her want to kill something at the idea of Raki being that close with Helen or Cynthia or Miria…

It was then that Clare decided to go see what their leader had taken Raki outside for.

xxxxx

Miria stood with her arms crossed, looking at Raki. "Now before we start, I need to get an idea of how good you are, so go ahead and try it by yourself a few times."

Raki gulped. "What should I try it on?"

Miria shrugged. "How about that tree over there?"

Raki turned around to find the tree Miria had indicated. "Alright…"

SCHWING!

Before Clare's imagination could paint a picture for her, she stepped outside the cave to see Raki lifting his long sword over his head before bringing it down towards a stout tree.

He didn't appear to even hit it.

Miria sighed. "Maybe I should have given you something easier to do…your body's not the same as it was when you were a human. Your strength is now greater than it ever has been. You have a different center of gravity. You need to come to understand your strengths and your weaknesses, your abilities and your limits."

Raki winced. "Sorry…"

Clare blinked as she stepped within speaking distance of the two. "You think this is a good idea, Miria?"

Miria didn't take her eyes off of Raki. "I'd like to see what the boy can do. I also need to know how much stress he can take before awakening, were a real fight to take place."

Clare frowned. "Shouldn't we have all been here if you thought he might awaken from this?"

"You all looked so engrossed in the conversation and the feast," Miria chuckled. "Besides, you all would have come outside if you'd have felt the swell in his Yoki, you in particular."

Clare didn't rise to the bait. "I don't want Raki fighting for the time being. He's only been in his human form a few…"

Clare fell silent as she stared hard in Raki's direction.

"What?" Miria asked, turning around to face Raki.

The boy flinched under the scrutiny. "W-What is it? Is there something on my face?"

Neither Claymore answered him. Neither said a word. Neither blinked.

Behind Raki, the tree that both of them had _thought_ he'd missed was split down the middle, gouged in half from top to bottom. The two halves were rent apart with what looked like the force of a lightning bolt.

Miria whistled. It was nothing her or the other half Yoma couldn't easily duplicate, but it was impressive nonetheless. The boy showed much promise.

"Well then…" she smiled. "At least we know you can fight."

xxxxx

To be continued…


	6. Chapter 6

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

The next day, Miria had Raki perform a series of drills that helped him relearn the basic movements behind using a sword. Not only was he stronger, he was swifter, more balanced. As much of an advantage as this provided, it made it so that all of his prior training was null and void. He had to relearn how to even swing a sword, since his muscles were almost completely alien to him now. It was like being inside a stranger's body.

And it was more than just swordplay he had to relearn. All half Yoma were trained to put on bursts of speed when they ran. It was a completely different exercise than sprinting or jogging – a driven half Yoma covered about a ten feet per step. Each bound carried them farther than human could reach in the blink of an eye, and it was a completely different process than simply putting one foot in front of the other, and the amount of strength a half yoma possessed dictated how fast they could run. Before this time, Raki had never even tested his limits, so it took some regulating to not accidentally run into a tree.

After a while, he slowly began to become familiar with his new body, and began to reach a point where he could actually spar with Clare.

Miria was watching from the sidelines as Raki swung his sword at Clare. It had taken some convincing to get him to actually raise arms against her, but once she had proven she was more than a match even in his current form, he had hesitatingly obliged. Miria would offer the occasional pointer and instruction, and Clare simply blocked or dodged his attacks.

Miria frowned. Raki was still only moving as fast as a human when he fought, and Clare was avoiding him easily. Clare hadn't even employed the use of her Flash Sword, and Raki was already starting to sweat. Perhaps she had overestimated the boy – or perhaps, he simply wasn't being pressured enough, seeing as how he trusted his opponent more than he trusted himself.

It had been three days since the dinner feast, and Raki still hadn't shown any signs of awakening. Which was a good…though it was bad in that they still didn't know what his limits were, which was dangerous should they run into trouble. It was much safer to have him accidentally awaken in a controlled environment than in the midst of a battlefield.

Miria's theory that Clare was the best solution to Raki awakening was proving to be retroactive.

"Alright, that's enough you two," Miria said, halting their progress.

Clare calmly sheathed her sword, while Raki simply dropped his in the frigid tundra dirt, falling onto his backside, gasping for breath.

"Had enough already, Raki?" Miria asked, a hint of amusement in her voice. "If you want to take a break, you're more than welcome."

She smiled at Raki's sudden reaction. He was instantly back on his feet, his sword in his hands despite numerous blisters already disappearing from the yoki flowing through his body.

"Let's try something different…" Miria nodded, turning to face the two members of their group who had opted to watch the boy train – Helen and Cynthia – while the rest of the group was training by themselves in the surrounding area. Tabitha was situated at the top of the cliff wall in which the cave lay, keeping a steady lookout as was her job ever since leaving the north.

"Helen," Miria said to the girl as she nonchalantly lay on her side. "Why don't you fight with Raki?"

Helen blinked in surprise. "Me? You want me to train with the shrimp?"

Miria nodded. "That's what I just said."

Clare bristled. "Miria…I thought you decided that I was needed to keep Raki reigned in."

Miria nodded. "And you will be. You'll be close by should anything happen. But Raki's a bit too comfortable with you, Clare. He's not pushing himself because he knows you're not gonna hurt him."

Helen got to her feet and slowly stepped over to where Miria, Clare and Raki were training. "Then why do you want me to fight him?"

Miria smiled, glancing at Raki's uneasy expression. "Because you make him nervous. This puts Raki under a bit more pressure. The purpose of these exercises is to train him, yes, but they're also to try to isolate the exact point at which he might awaken."

Helen nearly scoffed. "So, you're basically using me a guinea pig to try and get him to awaken?"

"More or less."

Helen sniffed, crossing her arms. She didn't appreciate being treated like she would obviously cause someone to go berserk. She wasn't _that_ intimating was she? She had her nice points too, didn't she? She was pretty, and she could be kind if she wanted to! History or not, what did Clare have that she didn't anyway? Why should Raki feel threatened by her more so than Clare or Miria or any of the others?

Her disdain must have shown through as Raki looked at her remorsefully. "Sorry to get you into this, Helen…"

Helen sniffed. She may have fancied the kid before, but now he was a challenge to be overcome. "Don't sweat it kid…here I come!"

Before Raki could so much as raise his sword, Helen's blade was already at his throat.

He fell back aghast.

"What are you waiting for?" Helen smirked, poking his side with the toe of her boot. "Fight back, kid! Show me what you've got!"

Clare nearly raised her voice in protest as Helen lashed out at him, but Miria silenced her with a raised palm before she could speak. Though Miria hadn't expressly forbade Clare from attacking, by unspoken consent, Clare had merely blocked Raki's attacks without fighting back. Helen was positively hammering the boy!

"Helen!" Raki gasped, barely keeping his sword tip up. "Wait!"

"Enough waiting!" Helen growled, battering his sword left and right. "You've got to learn how to stand up to a real opponent! You have the strength and you have the speed! Use them!"

Miria smiled. This was the kind of aggression Raki needed to be exposed to, something that she and Clare would not be comfortable dishing out. But when the girl's pride was on the line, Helen was not to be taken lightly.

"Fight back, you runt!" Helen crowed, forcing Raki back against the cliff wall. "Show me what you can do!"

Raki was gasping for breath, clearly outmatched and unwilling to fight back. With barely a bat of her eyelash, Helen had battered his sword out of his hands, and pinned Raki to the wall by the neck with the hilt of her sword.

Raki was panting, desperate for rest, and eyes wide in shock at Helen's abuse. Helen was panting too, but for a different reason.

"You think you can protect Clare like this?" she breathed huskily, her hot breath tickling his ear. "If I were a real enemy, you'd already be dead, and Clare would be left to fight alone. Is that what you want?"

Raki gazed back at her, trembling in humiliation, rage and embarrassment. "I'm trying…I'm trying…"

Helen smiled, touching a finger to his lips, silencing him. "That's good…" she said in a whisper. "Keep that effort up. I want to see the _real_ you someday…" she winked playfully, letting him go, turning to stroll back to her resting spot under the tree, sheathing her sword casually.

Clare felt the tension leave her shoulders. It was only Miria's hand resting on her shoulder that had prevented her from leaping at her comrade and ripping her off of the boy. But she knew that kind of taunting was needed, even if Helen had made it a bit more…suggestive than necessary. Clare had been with Raki for nearly a week, and he had not awakened since. As comforting as that was, they still needed to know what it would take. They couldn't afford to play with kid gloves anymore.

Miria debated with herself whether or not she should have Cynthia fight Raki as well – the girl was already on her feet, as though waiting for her turn – but Miria decided that refusing to train the boy any further that day would motivate him even further the next day.

"Alright, Raki, that's enough for one day. The rest of us need to train by ourselves." She allowed a hint of spleen into her voice. "Some of us need _real_ fighters to hone our skills on."

Raki slid to the ground as Miria dashed off, cheeks red with humiliation. He was sick of this! After all he'd been through, he still wasn't strong enough to help Clare at all! It wasn't fair! He'd done everything he could do! He had become a half Yoma, he had trained, he had kept his promises…

He looked up when Clare touched his shoulder.

"No one can become a warrior in three days, Raki," she said sympathetically. "Give it time. The skills you need will come with experience and training. Just keep at it and you'll do it. You've already done more than I ever expected."

Raki couldn't bring his face up to meet her gaze, partially because he was just too tired, but mostly out of shame. "It's not enough! Even if I improve, every single one of you will improve right along with me! I'll never be strong enough to protect anyone, least of all y-"

His words were cut off when Clare pressed her lips to his, silencing his voice and his thoughts, indeed, his every sensory perception. It had caught him completely off guard – not only did he not feel worthy of her affection after having, in his mind, failed miserably, but after everything he'd gone through, he wasn't sure if every memory he had of kissing Clare before hadn't simply been a dream, or if not, whether what she felt for him was real or genuine enough for her to demonstrate, and in front of her comrades at that!

That kind of logical deduction happened later in his exhausted mind. Presently, he simply enjoyed the feel of her lips on his, her soft hand touching his face, the light sound of her voice thrumming vibrations through the connection they shared, and the image of her eyes closed in contentment as she demonstrated her affection for him.

"Don't give up," she said simply as she pulled away, before turning to go train with the others.

Raki watched her disappear, returning his gaze to the ground before slamming his fist into the dirt. He pounded the earth again and again, a fist sized hole appearing in the dirt in a swirl of dust. He took out all his anger and frustration and pretended that the little mound of soil was his own weakness and tried to smash it.

He smashed his own wrist bones instead.

CRACK!

"Yahhh!" Raki hissed, clutching his broken hand, a blue bruise appearing on the edge of his palm, a trickle of blood running down his wrist.

"Ouch," came a voice. "Want me to look at that for you?"

Raki saw a shadow standing over him and looked up to see one of the Claymores – Cyncthia if he wasn't mistaken. She must have stayed behind.

"No…" Raki grimaced, looking away. "It's fine. Clare says I'm defensive type, this should heal up in a bit."

"Not if you don't focus your yoki," Cynthia said, subtly edging closer to the boy until she was crouching eye level with him. "It'll heal in a few days normally, but if you concentrate your yoki, it should take a matter of minutes."

"Really?" Raki said, inspecting his injury gingerly.

Cynthia nodded, hoping to make a good first impression on the boy. "It's easy. Just concentrate on your hand and will it to heal."

Raki tried doing what she instructed, but his bruised hand refused to cooperate. He stared at his blackened wrist, trying to get it to heal with his thoughts, until his eyes refocused, and he realize how close Cynthia's face was to his.

"Gah!" He yelped, trying to back away, but he was already pressed against the cliff wall.

Cynthia just blinked. "What's the matter, Raki? Does it hurt?"

Raki could only sit and stare as the most innocent looking half Yoma he'd ever met took his injured hand nurturingly in her hands and kissed the bruised area softly.

Raki's cheeks were red as Cynthia smiled sweetly at him. "There. All better!"

She dashed off without saying another word, leaving Raki to sit there, staring off at the sun as it slowly dipped towards the horizon. He heaved a great sigh. How was he supposed to concentrate on his training when he was surrounded by so many pretty women?

He got to his feet, surprised at how easily it felt. Normally after a hard day of training like this he'd be too tired to even move, but now…now, he felt like he could train all over again!

When he took another look at his hand, he nearly fell back onto his backside. The bruise was gone! His hand had completely healed! He flexed and unflexed his hand and gripped his sword hilt, confirming that not only was hand completely healed, but it felt stronger than ever, as he drew his sword and started swinging it once again. The strokes came easier than ever before, as he started taking aim at nearby trees and leveling them with single strokes!

He'd never felt this powerful before! He didn't know what Cynthia had done to him, or if it had even been her, but whatever had happened, Raki now felt confident he could take on any of the Claymores and at least give them a fair fight!

He decided to keep his newfound power a secret for now and instead opted to chop the leveled trees into firewood, and had a fire stoked by the time the sun had set. He'd have something to show them when his friends came back from training.

xxxxx

To Be Continued…


	7. Chapter 7

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

If anyone noticed Raki's lifted spirits that evening, no one mentioned it. Though in all fairness, Helen treated everyone as though they ought to be in high spirits. Clare might have noticed, as she usually offered words of condolence whenever she sensed Raki was feeling down, but having already kissed him earlier that day, their third kiss as it was, he felt as though he had used up her quota of kind gestures for the day.

If anyone had witnessed the kiss, no one mentioned that either.

At least there was a distraction – Uma and Deneve had run across an abandoned cart a couple miles from their cave. Broken axle from the looks of it. Whoever had owned it had taken what they could carry and pressed on down the road on foot, the nearest town several miles sill down the dirt path. Most of the remaining supplies had spoiled, but there were several unopened bottles of mead, as well as some wool blankets, which Uma and Deneve had brought back to the cave.

Needless to say, Helen was a happy camper.

Raki fixed his usual meal – what would only pass for a single helping of food for a human kept them all well fed. The mead, with its varying effects on the half Yoma, made things all the more interesting. Miria, Deneve and Tabitha abstained, each citing their own reasons. Miria simply felt responsible for everyone, and didn't want the liquor clouding her mind, and Tabitha, with her keen yoki perception, needed her senses in tip-top condition for her job of being a constant lookout. Deneve simply wasn't in the mood.

Helen, Cynthia and Uma were each on their third or fourth cup, and Raki and Clare were both on their second. It wasn't the boy's first time with such hard liquor, though it was the first time he drank so much. The pallid liquid burned on its way down and kept burning as it coiled about his stomach, but the sensation dulled and the heat stopped being unpleasant. He felt like every worry he'd ever felt had been silly and uncalled for. What was he afraid of? They were 7 – now 8 – though by his count now it was more like 16 – 12? He tried counting again…

"Hey Raki – want some more?" Helen slurred.

"Please…"

Anyway, they were a group of mighty warriors, and with his newfound strength, they could topple anyone who came their way. And besides, what was he complaining about? He was surrounded by beautiful women! He should be enjoying himself, not constant fretting about having to protect Clare…

Clare…

He looked at her, the firelight causing light to dance across her face, casting shadows that were as elusive as the smile he saw on her face. Raki marveled at how beautiful she was. She didn't have Helen confident glow, or Miria's motherly appeal or Cynthia's innocent gaze. She had something else. Something simpler, more elegant. Not plain, no, that was not the word he was looking for…funny how the vocabulary always deserts the inebriated…

"Raki?" Clare muttered, noticing his gaze. "Is something…?"

She didn't get to finish her sentence as the boy passed out, his face falling into her lap, spilling his half filled cup in the process.

Helen would have whined – both at the loss of good alcohol and her misfortune at not being situated in the place where Raki's face lay – had she not been laughing her head off, telling Cynthia and Uma about this one guy she used to know – a human – who had approached her on a dare, and how he had found out the hard way that not every Claymore was as cold and emotionless as "old 47 over there," and expounding on the euphemism of the aforementioned "hard" way.

Clare, for her part, just stared at the boy who lay face down in her lap. She didn't normally drink, though she could take her share of alcohol. Most half Yoma could, Helen simply chose not to. Despite this fact, had it not been for the alcohol swimming in her stomach, she would have simply tucked Raki into one of the bedrolls and gone back to the campfire. But the feeling of his form against her, lying on top of her caused a warm bubble to form in her stomach that caused her to turn him over in his sleep so that he faced upward, cradling his head in her lap, stroking his hair. She gazed down at his face, almost admiringly, as she caressed him like a mother caresses a child, though the feelings rushing through her abdomen were not entirely maternal.

She looked up to see several pairs of eyes locked with hers (Helen, oblivious as she was, was still going on, Cynthia and Uma still entranced with her story).

"What?"

Tabitha and Deneve looked away politely, but Miria kept her gaze on Clare.

"You really care for him, don't you?"

Clare tried not to scowl. "Yeah. So what?"

Miria smiled. "I just think it's sweet – and I mean that seriously."

Clare sniffed and looked away. "Sweet isn't going keep him safe. It doesn't matter if we both become as a strong as the number one warrior, we still won't be safe from the organization, or from the Abyssal Ones."

Miria had nothing to say to that.

"You know, it's funny…" Clare muttered. "Before Raki, I didn't care about dying. I didn't care if I lost my life, so long as I had my revenge. But now…" she caressed the boy's face protectively. "Now, all I can think about is what can I do keep Raki safe. How will what I'm doing protect him from those who would use him…or hurt him? And because of that…I'm more and more worried about staying alive, to make sure he's safe."

Miria smiled, nodding. "Few of our kind ever feel love, Clare."

Clare did not respond – didn't really need to. Miria's comment had made clear what both were thinking.

"It's only recently sunk in just how dangerous it will be to keep Raki with us," Clare sighed, still holding his head in her hands. "But I knew ever since I saw him again that I'd never leave his side. Not again."

Miria sighed. "It's not that simple, Clare. You have to consider what he is. He may return your feelings – given his behavior, I have little doubt he will. But what then? What church would marry you? You're both sterile; you can't have his child. Your connection would be based solely on what you have together. And as real as that may be at the moment…it could just as easily slip away."

Clare glared at Miria for stating the logical truth, but did not speak.

"And maybe not even through any fault of your own," Miria continued. "You may love each other till death does you part. But that's just the trick – death is a common occurrence among our breed. And as you know…there are fates worse than death, fates which are just as common for us as death."

Clare felt tears threaten to emerge from their ducts. "We're just not meant for love, are we?"

Miria nodded grimly. "Half Yoma are bred to fight. Nothing more."

Clare clutched Raki's head tightly in her arms. She was forcing the tears back, even as she knew what Miria was about to say.

"If you know what's best for you, you'll quit while you're ahead. Love will only bring pain – for both of you. If you give him your heart, and take his for your own, you will feel it ripped from your chest when the worst happens, and rip his from his own. Think about it, Clare. Could you kill him if a life as an awakened being was all that lay ahead of him?"

Clare bit her lip.

"Could you imagine him doing the same for you?"

Clare felt the tears come. Deneve and Tabitha frowned, not interrupting, but clearly listening in. In the background, Helen was still droning on. But Clare could tell she was shaking. Cynthia and Tabitha were too. While their ears may not have picked up on it, their yoki sense was picking up a very real sadness coming from Clare, and their minds were able to work out the rest.

"He's already proven that he can't…" Clare admitted through tears. "He won't. He'd rather throw himself on his sword."

Miria nodded, eyes cast downward. She did not enjoy relaying this harsh reality to Clare, but it had to be done for her own good, and for Raki's.

"It's your choice, Clare," she allowed. "Yours and Raki's. You'll have to make this choice together. It's a calculated risk, but you could potentially live very long lives together. But don't burden him with this now - for the time being, he has enough to focus on, so try to avoid kissing him again, at least, until he masters the sword."

Clare suddenly felt herself blushing. Helen, her attention now fully fixed on the discussion at hand, stifled a crude euphemism about swords, and Cynthia felt guilty for having helped herself, so to speak, even if it had been mostly innocent.

Miria looked at all of her companions in turn. "While we're on the subject…is anyone here still a virgin?"

The dynamic change in topic caught everyone off guard.

"Wh-Why is that important!?" Cynthia wanted to know.

"Because what I'm about to say will apply to all of you," Miria said, calmly and serious. "Half Yoma can't reproduce, but we still feel pleasures of the flesh. That said, it's important not to associate those pleasures with feelings of attachment. Now, is anyone here still a virgin?"

Blushing, Cynthia, Uma, Tabitha and Clare raised their hands.

Miria nodded. "Deneve, Helen, I trust you're well aware of what I'm about to say?"

Both Claymores nodded, awkwardly.

Miria locked eyes with each of the younger girls in turn. "We're all different – we each retain certain aspect of our human selves. But we all have hearts. And they can all be broken. It's up to each of you individually not to misplace them."

She glanced at Clare.

"We have a male half Yoma with us now, and some of you might be getting ideas. But no matter what happens, I want you all to remember that we are renegades from the organization, hunted everywhere by Yoma and awakened beings. The cards are stacked against us, and the likelihood of one or all of us dying is as real now as it was seven years ago. That being said, we cannot be careless with our feelings, for the boy, or for each other."

Helen had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "Can we get to the birds and the bees already?"

Miria fixed Helen with a hard look, and she looked away, embarrassed.

Clare cleared her throat, trying to get everyone's attention. "I don't…" she swallowed, collecting her thoughts. "I don't presume to have some kind of claim over Raki."

Her voice was ragged and her eyes were still red from tears, and it was clear that what she was saying was being said with great effort.

"If any of you so much as lays a finger on him…there's not a thing I can do about it. Obviously, his desires come first. But he is not…_mine_. And the sooner I stop thinking of him as such, the better."

As if to demonstrate her point, she carried his limp form over to his sleeping bag, bundling him up and laying his head on a rolled up blanket.

"You're all free to do with him as you please, provided he himself is consenting. You won't hear anything from me."

Miria placed a hand on Clare's shoulder. She could tell tears were threatening to emerge anew.

Everyone else could see it too.

"You should get some sleep," she said, kindly. "We all should."

Clare grudgingly laid her back against her sword, staring at Raki's sleeping form across the cave. Perhaps the mead was having more of an affect on her than she realized. If she had wanted to, she could have raised her yoki and flushed the effects of the alcohol from her body within seconds. But the mead also made it easier to cry. And she wanted to cry. She wanted to cry for a long, long time.

And warriors don't cry.

xxxxx

To be continued…


	8. Chapter 8

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

Raki couldn't understand why Clare seemed to be avoiding him the next few days. His lessons proceeded as usual with Miria giving instructions, and Helen and Cynthia taking turns sparring with him, but Clare was nowhere to be seen. While he was hardly on equal footing with the former two, both girls were impressed with his improvement.

"Damn, Raki!" Helen laughed, cracking her neck. "You sure you weren't holding out on me the other day?"

Raki was too focused on finding an opening in the woman's defenses to offer a response. He found one, but before he could land a hit, Helen disappeared from sight, and Raki looked up to see her standing on the branch of a nearby tree.

"You've got the strength part down," she winked. "Now you gotta work on your speed."

Cynthia was up next, and she went easier on the boy, almost acting apologetic as her blows left quickly healing bruises on Raki's shoulders.

"Hey…" Raki said in a low tone through gasps of breathing. "What exactly did you do to me the other day?"

"Hmm?" Cynthia said, angling his sword so that it sped off in a different direction, and his body was forced to follow or discard the sword. He chose the former, and ended up with a bruise on his back for his trouble.

"With my hand," Raki said, wincing as the welt on his back quickly reknit itself. "It's like you healed me."

Cynthia's eyes widened. "Oh…" she tossed one of her pigtails playfully. "I just kissed it and made it better."

Raki felt himself blushing. There really were no direct answers when it came to Claymores!

When he asked Miria about it later, she mused quizzically.

"It's possible she could have transferred some of her yoki to you…" she thought out loud. "Or maybe you were just so turned on that your own yoki started working overtime."

Raki blushed. "Is that…really how it works!?"

Miria just smiled. "I'm just postulating…you're the only male half Yoma I've ever known…and with male half Yoma, yoki and arousal are inextricably linked…"

Raki gulped. This did not bode well, he thought, if yoki was also the cause of awakening.

While Miria, Helen and Cynthia were regular training partners for the next few days, he barely saw Clare, Tabitha and Deneve except at dinner, though Uma came by to watch him spar on occasion.

"Phew!" Helen said, swapping places with Cynthia to give her a turn with Raki. "If that's how hard he can fight, I can't wait to see how well he can-"

"Helen?"

The woman in question turned her head up to meet Uma's gaze. "Hey, what's up?"

Uma looked insecure about something. "I…tried asking Clare, but she wouldn't talk to me…"

Helen blinked. "Huh? Ask Clare what?"

Uma cast a hesitant glance at Raki as he lunged at Cynthia, his sword bouncing off of hers like a pebble off a rock face.

"What…what kind of person is Raki?"

Helen looked dumbstruck. "Huh? Why are you asking _me_? He's right there, ask him yourself."

Uma began to blush. "I just…I just wanted to know a little about him before I approached him…"

Helen raised an eyebrow. "Approached? What exactly are you planning on asking him?"

Uma's blush spread wider over her face.

"I just…want to get to know him better. And you, Clare, Cynthia and Miria all seem to know more about him than I do…"

Helen rolled her eyes. Kids these days…

"Well, all I can tell you is that he's one stubborn brat. He sets his mind to something, and he just keep on going after it, even when it's clearly beyond his reach. He's kinda stupid like that…but you still kinda have to admire that kind of determination…"

Helen caught herself smiling as she watched him spar. She shook her head, clearing her thoughts.

"What's _your_ interest, huh?" Helen smirked, suddenly feeling insecure about her feelings and quickly switching focal points.

Uma's blush covered most of her face as her eyes slowly hid behind her long locks of hair. "Umm…well…you heard what Clare said. She's not going to keep him to herself. And he said himself when he first came here that, if it would make up for taking him in, he wouldn't mind…well…"

Helen blanched. "Are you seriously gonna ask him what I think you're gonna ask him?"

Uma bit her thumbnail. "Not right away! That wouldn't be right…but I'd like to get to know him…spend some time together…maybe he could cook something for me…"

Helen scratched her head in annoyance. This girl!

"Well, what are you wasting time talking to me for?" Helen sniffed, crossing her arms. "He's right there! Just go over to him and ask him if he'd like to spend some time with you after training!"

Uma's eyes returned to the light. "That's…do you think that would work?"

Helen shrugged. "Sure, why not? It's what I would do."

At least, that's what she would have done in her human years. In her time as a half Yoma, she'd learned more direct ways of snagging the men she was interested in.

Uma's eyes brightened. "O…Ok…thank you, Helen! I think I will!"

Helen waved her off as Uma wandered over to where Raki and Cynthia were still sparring (from the looks of things, Raki was faring no better than before).

Helen bit her lip. Uma was a good girl – she was! But for some reason, she just pissed Helen off so much with her naiveté. As if it were so easy to just walk over there and grab him!

Uma was right about one thing though – Clare had been very specific: She didn't have a say in what any of them did to Raki so long as he was consenting. And right from the beginning, Raki had offered his companionship as a means of repaying their hospitality, in essence, giving them his consent.

Loophole.

Helen grinned. It was one thing for the lowest ranked warrior among them to beat her. But for the youngest member as well to take the initiative, while all Helen did was sit there and taunt the kid…that just wouldn't do. Helen was not about to be left behind. It was time to make her suggestions a little more…persuasive…

xxxxx

"Sure…I guess…" Raki said uneasily as Uma stood expectantly at his side. Both he and Cynthia still had their swords drawn, and both were fixing the girl with an incredulous look.

"You will!?" Uma confirmed, excitedly.

"Yeah, why not?" Raki shrugged, trying not to blush. "It be nice to hang out and get to know one of my team mates a little better. And I've been doing nothing but training recently, so…yeah. I'd like to go on a walk with you after training."

Uma's lower lip quivered. "A-Alright, Raki! I'll stop by when you're finished!"

She hurried away off in the direction she came and quickly disappeared over the hill.

Raki just stared off in the direction she had gone in confusion. Cynthia, for her part, was still blinking incredulously. Had Uma just asked Raki out on a date? In the middle of _her_ training time with Raki, had she just asked him out? Right in front of her nose?

She glanced over to where Miria was standing. The woman just shrugged helplessly. It was clear she wouldn't be any help in the situation.

Cynthia scowled. Great. Who else was interested in getting closer to Raki these days?

xxxxx

Isely of the North had big plans. Really, it was all quite genius. He couldn't explain Prsicilla's interest in the boy, unassuming human child as he was, but she was. But when he had made the suggestion to become a Claymore like the girl he wished to protect, the boy had been only too happy to accept.

This opened up a brand new field of opportunities to Isley. Really, it was one thing to hold sway of the most powerful Awakened Being in all the land, but to hold sway over the most potentially powerful Claymore as well…

Really, the possibilities were endless.

"I wonder what Raki's doing right now…" were Priscilla's only words as the two of them rode on down the trail to the west.

Isley search deep within his mind. While his Yoki sense paled in comparison to someone like Galatea or Tabitha, thanks to the blood of his followers that now swam in Raki's veins, he could sense the boy anywhere in the world.

"He's still with the Claymores," Isley said conversationally. "His yoki still hasn't increased back to full, but it's slowly rising. I'd guess he's being trained right now. That Raki…he'll be a real fighter someday. He just never gives up."

Priscila looked hopefully at her surrogate brother. "When will he be back?"

Isley smiled. "Patience, my dear. The beast within him must sleep for the time being. Once he's been given a chance to develop, he'll soon begin to increase in skill. And when his inner Yoma takes over once again, he'll be all but unstoppable. Let the half-breeds think they have a new ally…for now."

This seemed to content the young demoness. "Raki…" she sighed, wistfully. Not a day went by where she didn't think of him. As loyal as she was to him, Isley was honestly jealous. Without even realizing it, Raki had stolen the heart of his little sister right out from under him.

He wasn't angry with the boy. No, Raki's interest clearly lay with another – one of the Claymores. And if Isley knew anything about Claymores…

He couldn't help a smile from forming on his face.

Unrequited affection was a breeding ground for dissent. Loyalties would be tested, infighting would break out. His own sister, this quarter Yoma with the blood of Theresa of the Faint Smile, and the other survivors of Pieta…it was all going to boil down into misery and sorrow. And with their human hearts, such grief would make everyone that much easier to manipulate.

Utter genius indeed.

Isley placed a hand on Priscilla's shoulder, trying to ease her troubled brow, but to no avail. Her thoughts were all focused on the object of her affections.

Perfect. Raki would grow and mature, increase in skill, and be faced with the impossibility of his reality. Temptatios would pull on him from either side. Anger would follow suit, and with that anger, awakening. Only this time, Raki would be more powerful than any Awakened Being, even the Abysal Ones.

And when that happened, Isley smiled, Raki would be his for the taking…

xxxxx

To be continued…


	9. Chapter 9

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

Uma had her head lowered throughout the walk. If Raki didn't know better, he'd have thought she'd rather been anywhere else. Of course, whenever he made an issue out of it, she fiercely denied it. And then they kept walking.

"So…" Raki said, searching for a topic. "What was life like for you before becoming a…a half Yoma?"

Uma didn't respond right away. He noticed she always took time to consider her responses, some more than others. It seemed to be based on their importance, or maybe their personal significance. Either way, she took more time to consider this question than any beforehand.

"I…lived on a farm for a time…" she began. "Lived with my mother – my father had passed away before I was born. My brothers worked in the fields…my mother tended the animals and kept us fed…I stayed inside and mended clothes, and kept the place clean."

Raki nodded, seeing her lips turn up into a smile. He felt a smile of his own form. There was something about reminiscing about the simple life that struck a cord with him, and it seemed to strike with her as well.

"There was a fire…I was told to stay in the cellar while my brothers and my mother put it out. It must have been a day or two, I stayed down there, waiting for someone to open the doors. When finally, one did…"

Raki felt himself stiffen. He felt like maybe he should be holding her hand.

He did so.

"It looked…so much like my mother…I was almost convinced…but when she couldn't remember my name, or the names of my brothers, I began to worry. Then the yoma transformed, and I…I was frozen in fear…"

Raki felt her hand squeeze his own.

"Then…it was over. I don't know who she was, but she was beautiful. Powerful and graceful…she had a sword, but wore a smile on her face like…" Uma shuddered as the memory caused her to shiver. "She just looked at me and smiled…and I felt…safe…"

Uma stopped walking as they came to the crest of a hill, overlooking the grove.

"After she left, I was alone," she went on. "I asked the townspeople about it, but so few of them wanted to talk about it. Finally, someone mentioned the word Claymore…"

Uma bit her lip.

"I searched them out, trying to find that lady, to see her, to thank her…"

Raki licked his dry lips. "Teresa of the Faint Smile…"

Uma nodded once.

"When they asked me if I'd like to become like her, to be able to fight like her, I…I leapt at the chance. The rest is history…"

Raki looked away nervously. Was it coincidence?

"You know about Clare then, I take it?"

Uma nodded. "Yeah…"

Raki suddenly felt uncomfortable. "This is all so messed up. It's as if every single one of us was lucky to have survived even up until the point where we gave up our humanity. Isn't there someone among our group who's lead a normal life?"

Uma finally turned her eyes up to Raki's. "You don't have to feel sorry for me. Considering what some of the others have dealt with, my past is of little concern…"

"It concerns _me_!" Raki objected, looking aghast at her. "None of you deserve any of this!"

Uma was blushing. "Raki…"

"You, me, Clare, everyone…" Raki closed his eyes in frustration. "We all deserve a normal life!"

Uma was astonished to see tears flowing down the boy's face. "Raki…"

She hesitated, her arm outstretched as though she wanted to touch and comfort him. It was strange – before, she only thought of touching him to please her own desires, but now his desires seemed to be all that mattered. But would her touch be welcome? Would it do any good? Wouldn't it mean more coming from Helen or Miria or Clare?

"I'm sorry…" Raki said, wiping his eyes. "It's getting late, we should probably head back to the cave…"

Raki turned to go, Uma staring forlornly at him. Whether that had been her opportunity to get closer to the boy or not, the chance had already passed.

xxxxx

Dinner was oddly quiet that night, mostly because Raki and Miria didn't show up for almost half an hour after everyone else had arrived.

"And just what were you two up to?" Helen wanted to know immediately.

"Nothing important," Miria shrugged off the suspicion. "Just clearing up some technicalities."

"I don't buy that for a minute," Helen groaned, leaning back against her sword.

Clare, who had remained as silent as the others, stared hard at Miria, until their eyes locked. Miria's gentle smile alleviated Clare's worries, but Helen was still convinced of foul play.

"If nothing happened then why are you smirking like that?" Helen demanded. "And why is Raki blushing?"

The boy, who had been busying preparing dinner, flinched at that last remark.

"Helen, Raki's blushes whenever you look at him no matter what he's done," Miria pointed out. "And I'm smiling because you couldn't be more obvious in your interests if you were trying to be."

Cynthia giggled at that. Uma blushed. Tabitha and Deneve just looked bored.

Clare was busy watching Raki prepare their meal. After so many years being away from him, despite being in the company of her traveling companions, she really missed his constant companionship. Just watching him work, diligent as he was, was enough to lift her spirits.

Then, of course, she reminded herself that as comforting as it was to watch him like this, as much as she enjoyed his presence and felt warmed by his constant efforts to aid her, she would do well to distance herself from those feelings of attachment.

It hurt. It really hurt. After all these years of wondering where he was, thinking on him as though he were a long lost relative, or…after finally finding him, only to be denied the chance to even touch him as one would a friend or lover…

Of course, she could always throw caution to the wind and damn the consequences. But even should the two of them try to make things work together, she still had his training to think on. Whether they decided to take on the world together or alone, as it was, she was a distraction to him that would only prove detrimental.

What struck her as unfair, however, was that each of the other half Yoma was a distraction in their own way.

"Helen?"

Everyone looked up.

Raki had put all the dishes away, and was looking across the fire at Helen.

The girl blinked incredulously. "Hmm?"

"Would you mind if I spoke to you?" the boy muttered, hesitantly, but not out of embarrassment. It was like he walking on eggshells, trying to find the right words. While Cynthia and Uma might have interpreted the question as an indication of an oncoming confession, Miria, Clare, Deneve and Tabitha could tell right away that the subject of Raki's concern was anything but romance.

Helen, for her part, didn't know what to think. "Uhh…sure…"

Everyone watched the two leave, the cracking of the fire the only sound as the two of them exited the cave.

xxxxx

After they had put a fair distance between themselves and the cave, Helen turned to Raki and gave him a hard stare.

"So what's this all about?" she asked, suspiciously. The situation confused her, and she hated being confused. If he was out her to try to get into her pants, then she wanted to know about it first. This unreadable Raki was throwing a monkey wrench in her normal methodology.

Raki bit his lip. He'd asked Clare about her past once, long ago. He hadn't gotten the whole story, but Isley filled in the cracks for him. Then, after having Uma tell her life story, he started to see a pattern. After talking to Miria, he was convinced he needed to become more familiar with his teammates. Maybe it would help him understand them a little better.

"Helen…what did you do before becoming a half-Yoma?"

The question caught Helen off guard. "What? Why do you want to know that, all the sudden?"

Raki looked down. "It…it would help me understand you better."

Helen frowned, looking away uncomfortably. "There's not much to tell. I was just a girl growing up. Then I became a half Yoma. That's all there is to it."

Raki shook his head. "But…there has to be more to it than that."

Helen suddenly looked angry. "What concern is that of yours, huh? Who I was then and who I am now is completely different. I don't care about what I did back then, all that matters is what I do now!"

Raki backed away, looking like he'd crossed some forbidden line. "I…I'm sorry, I just wanted to get to know you better…"

Helen stared hard at him, lips pursed. She knew he was being sincere, and as nice and sweet as it was, she honestly couldn't talk to him right then. Not with all that hanging over their heads.

"My past isn't open for discussion," Helen turned around and marched back to the cave.

As much as Raki hated leaving things on that note, he didn't dare try to stop her or restart the conversation.

The looks they got when they went back inside were even more awkward than the ones they had received heading out.

xxxxx

Training the next morning lead to even more surprises.

Cynthia, it seemed, was all too willing to share her past with Raki while she shrugged off his attacks and plunged him into the ground for what must have been the tenth time in as many days.

"I was an orphan growing up in a church," Cynthia said, almost playfully as she deflected Raki's sword, also playfully. "There were a lot of us growing up together, so we had a lot of fun."

The flat of Cynthia's blade swatted Raki's legs out from under him, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"There was a yoma in our town, and when they sent a warrior to kill it, we were all told to stay indoors at all hours. But me and my friend, we snuck out to see for ourselves."

She offered Raki a hand and hoisted him back up to his feet.

"My friend was scared out of her mind, but I was fascinated by the half Yoma. She was beautiful and radiant, and she just exuded confidence. And even though we were on the roof a dozen houses away from her, when she turned in our direction, I just know she was looking at us. That's when I knew that that's what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wanted to be someone as beautiful and talented as her."

Raki was staring in amazement as she spoke. She hadn't said it, but he got the distinct impression that the Claymore she was speaking had also been-

"You two gonna talk all day?" came a gruff, unamused sounding voice. "Or are we going to train?"

Raki winced and turned his head to see Helen standing, sword hoisted over her shoulder. She looked…serious. Which was a rarity for Helen.

"You can swap me out if you want," Cynthia bowed her head. She was smiling contently, like talking about her past with Raki had been what she'd wanted to do all day.

The other blonde lady grinned, bringing her weapon to bear. "Good…"

Before Cynthia had so much as sat down, Helen had hit Raki with a blow he just barely managed to block. The force of the impact sent him tumbling head of heel, losing his sword.

He groaned, getting to his hands and knees, when he felt a sudden weight on his back, pressing him back against the ground.

"You gotta do better than this…" he felt Helen's hot breath on his ear, and instantly he weakened. She was sitting on him, straddling his back, pinning his wrists to the ground.

"Helen…" he pleaded weakly. "I can't get up…please, let me go…"

"Fight me off," Helen demanded sternly. "No more kid gloves, Raki. You've got the strength. Use it!"

Raki tugged at both his arms, but she had them pinned. He tried splaying his legs to get some purchase in the ground, but Helen just repositioned her weight to hold him down. She had him firmly…

Raki was struck with an inclination, but was unsure whether to test it. Would she be angry with him?

"What if I were a yoma?" Helen said, harshly. "What if Clare was lying unconscious, right in front of you, about to get eaten, and you were the only one who could save her? Would you let some monster hold you to the ground while you were made to watch her get devoured?"

Raki's answer was to throw his head back, clocking Helen in the forehead. She reared back, releasing her grip to clutch her forehead, stunned.

Raki seized his chance and rolled her off of him, turning the tables by pinning her to her back.

His breathing was hurried, and his eyes were shaking. He could feel his yoki flowing, he realized. His eyes hadn't changed yet, but he was close. This must be what it felt like.

It felt strangely…pleasant.

He didn't get a chance to explore the feeling however, when Helen's eyes opened, and revealed golden slits.

"Nicely done…" she smiled, wickedly. And then she rolled him onto his back, pining him to the ground.

Raki froze, realizing how close they were. Even if he'd wanted to fight back, the yoki he had released had left him shaken. He could barely stand now, much less stop Helen from…wait…what exactly was she doing?

His heart was in his throat when he felt her lips on his ear. Raki shivered. She was grinding her hips to his, his wrists once against pinned to the ground, her hot breath tickling his ear.

"Males aren't the only half Yoma to associate yoki with arousal…" Helen breathed huskily. "Females are just better at controlling it…"

Helen's voice dropped to below a whisper.

"I used to be a harlot…" she admitted, her tone suddenly serious. "Back when I was human. It wasn't a pretty life. I'm not proud of it. But now you know…"

Raki was staring up at her in confusion. "Helen…?"

She was smiling sadly, her eyes slowly going back to their familiar silver sheen.

"I'm not as deep as the other girls, Raki," she said sorrowfully. "I'm crass, obnoxious and perverted. I thought that becoming half demon would change that about me. I thought it would be an escape from that fucked up life. But all it did was accentuate what was already there."

She released his wrists, but he didn't move.

"It's hard, you know?" she sighed. "Looking at you and Clare, feeling jealous all the time. The most I can ever manage is a quick fuck before parting ways. But you and Clare…you have something really special…"

He blushed as she stroked his cheek maternally.

"My better half doesn't want anything bad to happen between you and Clare because of me…" She stared into his eyes carnally. "But my instincts are telling me something much more basic…"

Her lips locked with his.

It was wetter than his kisses with Clare. More tongue. And it was certainly more arousing. But it was awkward. And it didn't feel nearly as meaningful as his kisses with Clare.

Their lips parted.

Raki blushed deeply. "Um…I…I don't…"

"Shhh…" Helen hushed, touching a finger to his lips. "You don't have to mince words for my sake. I just want you to understand my position…and what the alternatives are…"

She sat up, resting her fingertips on his chest, her weight focused over his groin.

Raki inhaled sharply. "H-Helen…"

"With me, what you see is what you get," she said sadly. "I'm not interested in a relationship as it were. I'd make a good lover, but I'd make a horrible wife. You're probably better off with Clare.

Raki's cheeks were still red. But his eyes were unclouded.

"You're…you're being serious…" he observed. It wasn't a question.

Helen nodded. "Clare's somehow gotten it into her head that she needs to keep her distance from you. Miria probably gave her that motherly speech about the short life expectancies of half Yoma. But I wouldn't let that stop me. And I don't think you should let it stop you either."

She stood up, offering a hand, and helped him to his feet.

"Umm…" Raki said, smiling at her. "Thank you…I guess…" He went to retrieve his sword, resheathing it. "For what it's worth…you really made me think twice about who I was choosing…"

Helen winked. "If things don't work out with Clare, you know who to come to for a good time."

Raki tried laughing that off, but found it difficult.

"Can I ask you something?" Helen said, breaking the mood. "Last night, before dinner, you were talking to Miria about her past too, right?"

Raki's eyes widened, but he nodded. "Yeah…"

Helen smiled. "What'd you find out?"

Raki looked troubled. "Nothing."

Helen laughed, turning to see Miria and Cynthia sparring off in the distance. No doubt their leader had surmised Helen's intentions, and drawn Cynthia away to give them some privacy.

She felt grateful.

"Get used to it…" was all Helen said. "Now go find Clare."

Raki nodded curtly. "R-Right!"

And then he was off.

xxxxx

To Be Continued…


	10. Chapter 10

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

Raki never saw Clare that day. When he asked Miria about it, she said Clare had gone off for some "long distance recon." Raki could tell that was a lie.

He never saw Clare the next day either. He was starting to get worried about her.

"She's nearby," Tabitha assured him when Raki queried her about Clare's whereabouts. "I'm afraid her exact location is…classified…"

Raki pursed his lips. The way Tabitha's eyes wandered about, he could tell that she had been specifically told – either by Miria or Clare herself – not to divulge her location.

"Alright then…" Raki said, deciding to bide his time to try to think of another method of getting the information out of her. "Can I ask you something else then?"

Tabitha looked uncomfortable. Raki could recall Miria mentioning to him that his specific mish mash of human, Yoma, half Yoma, and Awakened Being genetics made Tabitha feel particularly queer. He sympathized, but as long as she was keeping things from him, he wasn't about to hold back.

"I'm…rather busy at the moment…" Tabitha frowned, looking away, tugging at her braid. While Raki knew she had an important job to do by monitoring the nearby areas for signs of Yoma, Organization or otherwise. But he also noticed a slight redness in her cheeks, and he bit his lip as he realized that this was not the reason for her discomfort.

"I just wanted to ask how _you_ became a half-Yoma…" Raki said, sounding childlike once more. He tried to put as much innocence as he could into his expression, but in truth, he was rather curious. Each answer the Claymores had given him had varied in some ways, and been the same in others.

"What does _that_ have to do with anything?" Tabitha said sounding irked.

Raki shrugged. "I'm just curious, is all. I'd like to get to know my fellow warriors. Is that so bad?"

Tabitha turned her head away, tugging and stroking her braid nervously. Her cheeks were bright red from what Raki could see.

"Why do you care so much, anyway?" she almost spat. "You're only interested in Clare, aren't you?"

Raki frowned. "That doesn't mean you and I can't be friends. Come on…you know my story…isn't it fair if you tell me yours?"

"Not even the other warriors know my full story…" She turned her eyes to stare back at him, cheeks ablaze. "If I tell you, will you promise not to tell them?"

Raki was surprised. It was one thing for a Claymore to bring him up to speed with what the rest of the group knew. But to share something with him, and him alone…

"I promise…" Raki nodded, not wanting to waste this chance.

Tabitha twisted her index finger around the tip of her braid. "Fine, I'll tell you. Before I became a half-Yoma, I was a tavern hostess in Bowenheim, this tiny little town out west. Things were hard for me there – I had a lot of responsibilities and such. I didn't really have time to do the things _I_ wanted to do. Most men weren't interested in working girls anyway – too nit picky, no free time, and my hands were usually covered in blisters…"

Tabitha's tone softened.

"Then, this man, this…mercenary from the east, he…he came to my tavern…"

Tabitha's eyes closed, as though she were recalling a dream.

"We spent the whole evening talking and drinking together. At first, about petty little things like what was going on around the world, but soon we were the only ones left, and I had to close down the tavern. I was so flattered – most men around the town didn't even _notice_ me beyond getting something to drink. But he…he seemed like he was actually _interested_ in me…"

Tabitha bit her lip.

"I…invited him upstairs, and…one thing led to another. We…you know, did it, and…right at the end, right when I…well, he started to change…"

Tabitha wrapped her arms around her body.

"It was the scariest moment of my life. Everything was a blur after that. I thought I was dead for sure. When I came too, I…I was alive, but…covered in blood. The Yoma's blood. It was everywhere…"

She shivered.

"I don't know who saved me, or how they knew to even find me, but everyone told me it was a silver eyed witch with a strange, elegant beauty to her…"

Raki was agape until this last part. "Was it Theresa?"

Tabitha shook her head. "I have no idea who it was…but when the man in black came to Bowenheim, I…I asked him about it. He gave me the details, and I…asked him if I could join. I…I wanted to be stronger. I wanted confidence. I wanted to be a woman like those noble girls, who could get anyone's attention at the bat of an eyelash, and turn them away just as quickly. I didn't want to feel like a nobody…"

Tabitha was sitting down now, shaking her head.

"What an idiot, right?" she was quivering. "You must think I'm a complete moron."

"Not really…" Raki assured her. "It seems like the human thing to do. If your reasons were at all foolish, my reasons were more still. Of course, you know all about that…"

Tabitha's eyes softened as she looked at him, gratefully. That uneasy feeling she had around him since he'd shown up had vanished.

"I…thank you. For, you know…for listening to me. I think…I think I needed to get all that off my chest."

Raki touched her shoulder. "Anytime. So, you still won't tell me where Clare's gone to?"

Tabitha shook her head, smiling. "Can't do, Raki. She made me promise. Besides, all I could do is point you in the right direction. She didn't tell me where she was going - She's more open with Miria, Helen and Deneve than she is with me or the other two. They might be able to tell you. But Miria's the one who recommended that she go spend some time alone to clear her head, so she probably won't."

Raki nodded, pursing his lips. "And Helen's already told me she has no clue where Clare is."

Which left only one last person.

xxxxx

"Clare? She went into the forest two days ago. Headed out to the east a ways, around where those hills are."

Raki gaped open mouthed as Deneve casually answered his question.

"For real?"

Deneve looked somewhat peeved. "Do you think I'd lie to you?"

Raki crossed his arms, not falling for that. "You might lie to protect Clare if you thought she needed it."

Deneve blinked, somewhat surprised. The boy was surprisingly astute. "Fair enough. But even if I was lying, with your yoki-enhanced speed, you'd be able to get there and back within an hour, and neither of us would be any better off. If all I wanted to do was keep you from her, I'd simply refuse to tell you."

Raki had recently gotten the hang of raising his yoki levels to allow him to run at a moderate clip. He hadn't mastered the half-Yoma's all out gallop that was needed to outrun yoma, awakened beings, and other half-yoma, but he could outrun any animal in the forest by far.

Raki nodded. "I see. Thank you!"

He turned to go running off to the north.

"When you get to her," Deneve queried quickly before he could take off. "What will you do?"

That made Raki pause.

"What will I do?" he thought out loud, turning around to face her. "I don't know…talk to her, for starters. There's still a lot that's been unsaid between us, and I think…I _know_ that she's been distancing herself from me lately. And I want to know why."

Deneve gritted her teeth, pressing the heel of her hand against her forehead. "For fuck's sake…don't you get it yet?"

Raki looked taken aback. "Wh-what is it?"

Deneve wrinkled her nose, fixing him with a conniving stare. "Look, Clare's head over heels for you, alright? Gods know why, but you were all she ever talked about this whole seven years! But now that you're back, now what's she supposed to do? We half-Yoma don't exactly live long lives. You may be happy for a bit before one of you bites the dust, either to an awakened being or to the Organization. She's in a real rough spot right now, not to mention the fact that she's got about five or six other warriors clamoring to win your favor. Give her some space, will you!?"

Deneve had practically backed Raki up against a tree as she spoke, the look of fiery protectiveness evident in her eyes.

"Deneve…"

Raki shuddered, quailing under the intensity of her glare.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to make things difficult for Clare…or for any of you…I'm not strong or helpful or any good as a friend…but I…"

Deneve practically rolled her eyes. "Lose the pity act, kid…it's getting old…"

Raki bit his lip. "You really…don't approve of me and Clare, do you?"

Deneve snorted. "A warrior is judged by their prowess in battle, not by their prowess in the bedchamber. Having to worry about someone else as more than just a comrade is a distraction that will get both of you killed."

Raki shook his head. "Have you always thought like that?"

Deneve crossed her arms. "I was a prioress before I became a half-yoma. I would listen to the sins of the townsfolk as they passed through my church. The number of women hurt by men, abused and battered…and the men who suffered because of their women, gave up their jobs, and turned to the bottle…honestly, life would be better if more people just ignored their lustful feelings and lived their own fucking lives…"

It was the most he'd heard Deneve ever speak before. She had always been quieter than the others. More aloof too. But he hadn't imagined she harbored such a passion for…well, being aloof.

"So you're saying that…Clare and I are destined for unhappiness?"

Raki looked hurt, but Deneve didn't seem to care. If it proved her point…

"Yes."

Raki's eyebrows knit.

"For the past seven years, I've searched for her, desperate to find her. I wandered all over this damn countryside, north, south, east, west…and you said it yourself, Clare missed me too…"

Deneve pursed her lips, but remained silent.

"I haven't been searching her out for all these years because I was _lusting_ for her!" Raki spat out, angrily. "Clare made a difference in my life, and I _owe_ it to her to not let that difference go to waste! I'm going to become the best person I can be, for _her_ sake, and no one else's! You say that feeling attached to others makes us weak…but _I_ say it only makes us stronger!"

Deneve blinked. "You're…you're serious?"

Raki nodded once. "I sacrificed my humanity for her. I would give _anything_ and _everything_ for her! So unless you want to try and stop me, then get out of my way!"

Raki pushed past her and prepared to take off into a run.

"Wait!"

Raki turned to look at her. "Now what?"

Deneve's lips curved up into a smile. "I lied…she's _not_ in the forest to the east. She went north, just a few clicks, and stopped in a valley by the river."

Raki blinked in stupor. Had Deneve just…helped him?

"Deneve…?"

The half yoma shook her head. "One thing I can't deny…is that I'd never seen Clare happier in my entire life than the day you came back into her life. So maybe you're right, and being together is better for both of you. One thing's for sure…being apart isn't doing_ you_ any good."

Raki smiled, whole-heartedly. "Deneve…"

"Go on…" she smiled warmly. "Go find her."

"Thank you…"

And then, he was off.

xxxxx

He found her eventually, though not all at once. What he found first were her clothes, strewn about on branches, soak and looking like they were hanging out to dry. They were torn and worn, but not bloody. She must have been washing them. In this frigid cold, they were still damp to the touch.

"Clare?"

His voice felt flat. The air was humid and thick. And there was a fog rolling in. No, not fog – mist. As Raki pricked up his ears, he heard the roar of a waterfall, and he approached curiously as he saw the river cascade of the cliff to fall at least thirty meters into the pool bellow.

And there, standing waist deep in the misty, churning current, was Clare. Sword in hand, she stood statuesque, breathing deeply, staring at the water as it rushed down the side of the rock face.

Then, in an instant, she swung her sword arm so fast that Raki barely saw it. By the time her arm returned to her side, the waterfall split in two.

FWOOOOSH!

Like Moses parting the Red Sea, Clare sent a shockwave up the oncoming water, splitting the falls in two, blowing them apart to reveal the deep emerald and black of the rock behind it all.

Then, a second later, the water came crashing down, and the river resuming it's normal tumble down the rock face.

Raki barely noticed the water covering his body as he stared at her in amazement.

"Wow…"

Clare looked up and saw him, unsurprised.

"Raki…"

It took a half second for Raki to realize she wasn't wearing anything, and he turned around quickly. "Ahhhh…Clare, I…I was looking for you, and…"

He scratched his cheek. Why was it always so awkward talking to her?

"I see…"

Raki stole a glance back, and saw that she hadn't moved, and quickly turned his head back away from her.

"Do you, um…come here often?"

He heard Clare murmur in the affirmative. "This is where I train. The water is harder to move through than air and helps me build up strength and speed. It also helps me practice control…"

He couldn't see it, but she clutched her right arm.

"I see!" Raki yelped, a little too quickly. "Well, I can see that you're busy, so-"

"Raki?"

His face was beet red. "Umm…yeah?"

He heard the water ripples behind him, as she swam closer to where he stood on the shore.

"Your clothes are soaked," she noted. "Why don't you hang them up to dry and come swim with me? The water's refreshing, and it helps clear the mind."

Oh, Raki definitely needed his mind cleared at the moment, but he didn't think for a second that his being in the water with Clare would effect that in any way.

Still, he found it difficult to refuse.

"Okay…"

xxxxx

To Be Continued…


	11. Chapter 11

**Claymore Fan Fiction**

**Silver-Eyed Warlock**

By Kraven Ergeist

The water was ice cold, but Raki barely felt it. Partly because his yoma blood regulated all but the most extreme of temperatures, making him unable to truly experience the frigidness of cold, barring sunless arctic winters. But it was also because his mind wasn't focused on the temperature of the water at all.

Clare was swimming beneath the surface, darting this way and that, like a minnow. The water was a few meters deep, giving them ample room to move about. There was a strong current, though with their yoma strength, it made little difference. With his half-yoma gifts, not only could he hold his breath for what felt like hours, but he could swim as fast as any fish in the sea.

He could also see perfectly clearly underwater.

_Mustn't look, mustn't look, mustn't look…_

Compared to Clare's graceful languid form, Raki felt like a grizzly bear hunting for fish. He tried not to let his eyes wander, but he found his attention drawn to Clare's skin as it glistened in the sun refracted through the rushing, tumultuous surface above them. The way she moved was entrancing, effortless, needing only a single flick of the wrist to jet through the stream, her back arching and legs bending to contour her body into a streamline form.

She was positively beautiful to watch. Raki soon forgot himself, and became lost in simply watching her move. It was like she was dancing – a being of elegance and grace as she flitted through the water. Her silver hair flickered back and forth like leaves caught in the breeze. She was fast – darting from one end of the river to the other, racing the fish, fighting the current, her eyes fierce and determined.

Training, Raki realized. This was another form of training.

But she looked like she was having so much fun. How often did Clare simply get to relax like this? They all deserved this, Clare most of all. Raki was happy that she was enjoying herself, though she didn't have to take it so seriously – her brow was knit in concentration, as though it were taking all her efforts to move so fluidly.

She went to a particularly deep area, and then kicked up with what looked like all her might, as she broke the water's surface. Raki stuck his head out of water in time to see her twirling in mid-air spinning wildly, flicking water everywhere, before turning a summersault in the air and slipping fluidly back into the water.

Raki felt like applauding. He might have, had she not popped her head out of the water to meet his gaze his gaze, flipping her hair over the back of her head.

"What did you think?" she asked, sounding honestly curious.

Raki forgot their position entirely and swam over to her. "That was _amazing_ Clare! I've never seen anything like it! You were magnificent!"

Clare's cheeks colored, and she gave him one of her honest to goodness smiles that she saved for special occasions.

"Glad my training's paid off…" she chuckled.

"Show off," Raki splashed her.

"Hey!" Clare squinted, splashing him back.

The two were soon splashing each other like kids in the park, laughing playfully. The splash fight turned into a game of tag as they each swam after each other, Clare the clear superior in that field. She gave him a good run, before slowing down enough to let him grab her ankle, before darting away again, her turn to be It.

Obliging him, she played the game of cat and mouse, and let him swim around, moving to cut off his escape and back him into a corner. He tried to dash around her, but she was too quick, and she tackled him head on, driving them both to the shore, the shallow water forcing them above the surface.

"No fair!" Raki complained, struggling against her grip. "You trapped me!"

Clare winked. "No prey of mine can escape me for long…"

Without even thinking, she kissed him.

Raki smiled, kissing her back, simply enjoying the moment, when his conscience suddenly came back to him, and he began blushing.

"Umm…we're not exactly dressed for the occasion…"

Clare did not let go of him, though she did give him a coy smile. "And what occasion is that?"

Raki closed his eyes, shaking his head. "I didn't mean it like that! It's just an expression!"

Clare just chuckled. "You worry too much…"

She kissed him again.

"Clare…" Raki was blushing furiously. He shook his head furiously. "We're all alone out here…"

Clare nodded very slowly. "Yes…"

Raki bit his lip. "We're both naked…"

Again, Clare nodded. "Yes…"

Raki's eyes met her. "And you're…kissing me…"

Clare thought over what he'd said, and had to agree that he was absolutely right on all three counts. "Do you want me to stop?"

Raki choked out a hoarse laugh. "Stop? I…" he shuddered as Clare repositioned herself against him. "Mmmm…you _know_ how I feel, Clare…but this _really_ isn't a good idea…"

"You're right. It probably isn't…" Clare breathed into his ear. "But something tells me that _stopping_ is the last thing on your mind…"

Raki's lower lip quivered. His _whole body_ quivered. He felt like he was about to pass out.

"We…" Raki stuttered. "Really shouldn't…"

Clare parted from him long enough to touch her finger to his lips. "I've given this a lot of thought, Raki. Miria told me we're doomed if we stay together. But it's not like either of us will be better off being apart from each other either."

She wrapped her arms around him, embracing the boy tenderly.

"Both our lives are destined for hell, Raki. Nothing's going to change that. Not Miria, not you, not me…so why can't we at least be with the person we want to be with?"

She held the boy at arms length. There were tears in his eyes.

"Clare…I…I…" he was smiling.

"Shhh…" she touched her lips to his, silencing him. "I know, Raki. I do too."

Raki felt her lips wrap themselves around his, her tongue flitting between his lips to play with his own. He felt his back molding itself in the muddy sand, but he didn't care. Clare was kissing him, passionately, desperately, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. He kissed her back, savoring the taste and feel of her, sucking on her tongue and lips, his hands encircling her waist, feeling her smooth silky skin beneath the gentle waves of the river.

"Clare…" he bit his lower lip as her teeth found their way to his ear, nibbling the tender nubbin of flesh as her hands ventured further down his body, trailing her fingernails over him, eliciting groans of pleasure. "Oh, Clare…"

The girl smiled contently, pleased with her decision, letting her tongue slowly trail down his neck, her hands tracing over his abdomen, his adult body sculpted and sinuous. Of course, with the strength of a half-yoma, his body wouldn't be anything but flawless.

She quelled that thought in irritation. She wasn't doing this because he was a half-yoma like her now. Maybe that fact made it okay, but that wasn't the reason for it. The reason was that she loved him – she had since the day he'd saved her from awakening, way back when. And now she knew, beyond all doubt, that he loved her back. And that was plenty enough for her.

She felt heat rising in her abdomen at the look upon his face when her hands found their way south. She couldn't resist the urge to claim his lips once more, to kiss him hungrily, tasting him, letting electricity flow through the connection. His stiffness was like rock in her hands, and it was all too easy for her to guide his girth between the folds of her womanhood, and…

Suddenly, everything exploded into chaos.

xxxxx

The other Claymore's were on the scene in moments. Miria was first to arrive, followed by Tabitha and Deneve. All three women were speechless.

"Help…"

They stared aghast at the two figures that lay on the ground by the river. Both were stark naked. Both were dripping with blood.

"Please…I think I hurt her…"

Raki was in tears, holding Clare limply in his arms, her body staunch, cold and lifeless. Her body was covered in seeping claw-marks, as other injuries, which looked like that had been delivered by teeth, laid bare around her neck and shoulders. The most blood, however, was coming from between her legs.

"Somebody, please! Help her!"

Nobody wanted to move. Miria was the first to overcome her shock and step forward to take Clare's still bleeding form out of his arms, and drape her cloak over her comrade's body. She placed her fingertips to Clare's neck, and frowned as Helen, Cynthia and Uma arrived on the scene, looking confused, anxious and scared.

"Miria!" Helen blurted in frenzy. "We felt what happened from the other side of the plains! What…?" Then her voice fell when she saw the scene before her. "Oh God…"

Raki lay crumpled on his knees, heaving and sobbing, his hands, mouth, and his entire abdomen covered with already drying blood, none of it his own.

"I'm going to take her back to the cave," Miria announced as he held Clare in her arms, not making eye contact with any of the others. "Nobody _touch_ him until I return."

Nobody was inclined to disobey.

xxxxx

"Now listen to me very carefully…" were Miria's calm words. "I need you to tell me _exactly_ what happened. Leave nothing out."

Miria and Raki were sitting at the top of the peak in which their cavern lay. She had given the others explicit orders to remain inside and look at Clare.

Raki's eyes still had not dried.

"Will she…be alright?"

Miria's expression didn't change. "She'll live. Now tell me…" She leaned forward and seized Raki's jaw in her hand, forcing him to meet her gaze. "What…happened?"

Raki felt a very real twinge of fear roll down his spine.

"I…she…we were…swimming in the river…" he began, trembling in fear. "We started playing. You know, stupid games, splashing around…we were having fun…"

He swallowed.

"Then we were…kissing and…I mean, really _heavy _kissing…and…then I don't know. All I can remember is realizing my whole body is covered in blood, and…" Raki stared at his hands. He had since bathed and clothed himself, but he couldn't escape the feeling of revulsion that came from looking at his own two hands. "And Clare was just lying there, bleeding…"

He started to cry all over again.

"I don't know what I did to her, Miria!" he sobbed into his hands. "I don't think I _want_ to know! I just don't know if I can even _speak_ to her now…"

Miria's expression didn't change. "What will you do?"

Raki shook his head, still sobbing. "What _can_ I do? What can I _possibly_ do to make this better? How can I even _stay_ here after what I did that to her!?"

Miria's eyes finally widened. "Raki…you can't _leave_."

Raki's brow knit, tears streaming down his face. "You mean, you expect me to stay!? After everything I've done, all the trouble I've caused!? You expect me to stay, and not even be able to _look_ her in the eye!?"

Miria frowned and got to her feet. "I'm not here to ensure that you have a steady relationship with Clare, or anyone for that matter. I'm here to keep the seven of you safe from the Organization and the Abyssal Ones. Like it or not, regardless of your feelings, Clare's feelings…or my own…" she gritted her teeth, looking like she was ready to spit in his face. "You're _one of us_, Raki. And we have to look out for each other."

Raki was staring at her with an expression that could only be described as shock and awe.

"Do you think this is the _worst_ thing any of us have gone through?" Miria demanded. "Do you think this is even the worst thing another half-yoma has _done_ to another? Like it or not, Raki, this is our world! And it's a bloody one. The sooner you get used to it, the sooner you'll be able to move on."

Raki didn't say anything. He'd stopped crying though. His hands simply squeezed the cloth of his slacks, knitting them into tight fists.

Miria sighed, getting to her feet. "Get some rest. You need it."

xxxxx

"I could have handled him."

Everyone in the cave looked at Helen with something akin to shock. They were each sitting in a semi-circle, each keeping Clare in their sight, who still lay unconscious, resting at the back of the cave.

Helen shrugged. "Look, it's pretty clear that the kid awakened. But what did he do after that? He changed back. I'm just as upset as you guys about what happened to Clare, but I for one was paying close attention to Raki, and from what I could gleam, all that transpired was a really, really, _really_ rough banging."

The Cynthia, Tabitha and Uma gaped at Helen with renewed disbelief, but Deneve just sighed.

"That's just Helen's way of saying, if she could have taken Clare's place and keep her out of harm's way, she would have."

Helen snorted, crossed her arms and looked away. "I'm just saying I could have handled him."

Everyone mused in silence.

"Helen's right about one thing…" Deneve observed. "It appears that all the boy did was awaken for the duration of their…copulation…"

Cynthia fidgeted, glancing back at Clare's sleeping form. "He did a lot of damage…are you _sure_ that's all that went on?"

Deneve sighed, leaning back against the cave wall. "Bite marks around her neck and shoulders…claw marks across her back, buttocks, and the back of her thighs…and her vulva has been torn beyond recognition…what _else_ do you think happened?"

Tabitha colored. "Do you think he…forced himself on-?"

"No way!" Uma blurted out violently. "Raki would _never_ do that! As an Awakened Being maybe, but never as that sweet little boy we all know him to be!"

No one voiced their rebuttal to that, because right at that moment, Clare stirred to life, groaning sleepily.

"Clare!" Helen was the first to her side, holding her hand. "Take it easy, you've been badly hurt!"

Clare still hadn't opened her eyes. "Mmm…Helen? Could you lower your voice, please?"

Everyone was gathered around. Helen for her part had almost forgotten about Clare's injuries and wanted to smack her for throwing her concern back in her face like that.

"Clare…" Deneve asked next. "Are you…?"

"Raki!" Clare blurted out, eyes flying open. "Where's Raki!?"

"Don't worry," Cynthia assured her, patting her hair. "Miria's keeping an eye on him. He can't hurt you anymore."

Clare blinked in confusion. "Hurt me? What are you talking about?"

"Are you kidding me?" Tabitha pointed to the bandaged skin of her shoulder. "He's the one who did _that_ to you!"

Clare glanced down at the cuts and scrapes across her body. Then she practically laughed.

"What, this? This is nothing. You should have seen what I did to _him_."

Dead silence.

Then a collective "WHAT!?"

Clare blinked, confused. "What's the matter, you guys? Did you think we'd gotten into a fight or something?"

Helen was blushing as realization dawned on her. "No, well…when we found you, you were unconscious and bleeding in Raki's arms, and he was crying his eyes out."

Clare still looked confused as all get out.

"Crying? Why would he…oh no!"

Clare stumbled weakly to her feet.

"I have to speak with him! He probably thinks he did something _horrible_ to me!"

Everyone rose to stop her.

"Hold on!" Deneve scolded. "You're not going anywhere like that. And in case you hadn't realized, he kind of _did_ do something horrible to you."

Clare shook her head. "Nothing I didn't give him back twofold. I'm just a little tired. He _really _wore me out. We _both_ must have passed out by the end of it all. He probably just healed faster because he's a defensive type."

Helen took Clare's face in her hand and glared at her. "But Clare, _you_ still haven't healed. And in case you haven't noticed, part of you is _still_ bleeding!"

Clare looked down to see a make-shift loincloth, soaked red with blood.

She blushed.

"Umm…you guys? You know I'm a virgin – or _was_, about half an hour ago. It kind of hurt. But I don't regret it or anything. It just didn't occur to me that he wouldn't remember it."

Everyone was bustling with protestations, but the loudest was Miria's, who spoke as she slowed from a run, entering the cave with them.

"Raki's run off," she panted, out of breath. "Clare…I heard part of what you said...what about the fact that he had _awakened_ when you did that to you?"

Everyone was silent and stepped aside, letting Miria and Clare talk face to face.

"Where's Raki?" Clare demanded.

"Answer my question," Miria shot back, defiantly. "Is it okay with you to know that you slept with an awakened being?"

"Doesn't make much of a difference," Clare stood her ground, though she was rather shaky from her experience. "We both went back to normal after it was done."

Miria shook her head. "That doesn't make it…"

Color drained from her face.

"Wait…did you say 'we _both_ went back to normal?'"

Everyone unconsciously took a step away from Clare as she stared Miria down hard.

"Yes, Miria…_I_ awoke too."

xxxxx

To Be Continued…


End file.
